The Heir to Erebor
by Tauriel the Mockingjay
Summary: This is a what if story. What if Thorin was married at one point? What if he had three children? What if Tauriel was one of those three? What if there was a son among them? Tauriel lived with the elves of Mirkwood, Lyra live with the men of LakeTown, and Lain lived with the hobbits of the Shire. Would they ever be reunited? Would Lain sit on the throne of Erebor?
1. Chapter 1

The Heir To Erebor.

You have heard the tale of Bilbo Baggins; a hobbit who did what some hobbits wouldn't dare dream of doing and went on an adventure with thirteen dwarves. You have also heard of Thorin Oakenshield; the king under the mountain of Erebor who led the quest to reclaim it.

What you may not have known is some of Thorin past that he had kept...well, in the past.

When Thorin was fairly young-maybe fifty five, he and his sister were exploring the woods outside the village they had been living in. His sister went a little farther than they should have and they were surrounded by orcs. Thorin fought to protect his sister Dis, but it wasn't enough. An orcs arrow found her and she was hit in the back.

Thorin began to think all hope was lost when out of the blue came two Elves. The male Elf helped Thorin fight off the orcs while the female tended to Dis.

Thorn and the Elf finished them of and then he ran to Dis's side.

"She is weak." said the female Elf, "I did what I could, but we must get her to safety."

"Fo (No)!" snapped the male Elf.

"Nas harna (She is hurt)!" the female elf pleaded.

"Gwaem (Let us go)!" he commanded walking away.

"Fo (No)." she said under her breath as she stayed on her knees. She looked down at Dis, "Odulen an edraith angin (I am here to save you)."

Thorin did not know any Elvish except for a few phrases.

"U-bedin edhellen." he replied. Which means, "I don't speak Elvish."

She frowned, "My brother Dyffros refuses to help anymore. Our father is one of Lord Thranduil's most trusted servants. My brother has always been trying to please him."

Thorin knew why she didn't say anymore, many knew of how Thranduil turned his back on the Dwarves when the dragon Smaug invaded Erebor.

"Will you help?" asked Thorin, still stiff when it came to Elves.

She smiled, "Yes. I will."

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain." He replied as he carefully picked Dis up.

"I am Almirthara, daughter of Erendriel." She replied.

She helped him carry Dis back to their village. Almirthara had auburn hair that had more braids than Dis had in her hair on a special day. She wore a bright green dress and brown boots. Her bow was on her back with two quivers filled with arrows.

"Why do you have two quivers?" Thorin asked.

"I fear that someday someone will be in a battle and will run out of arrows at a bad point in time." She simply replied.

"Why do you help us Dwarves?" Thorin's heart was set on hating Elves and thought that all Elves were the same.

"Despite what you Dwarves think, there are some who disagree with Lord Thranduil, but he is our king and we must obey him no matter what we want."

"And what do you want?"

"A fair world," she stated. "A world where no one will turn their backs on one another."

"Believe me, everyone wants the world to be like that. Those who do not know nothing of the world." Thorin never in his wildest dreams could imagine himself agreeing with an Elf.

"Is your sister your only family?" she asked innocently.

"My father has since gone and my mother works late serving for Men. I had a brother once." Thorin said with a weight in his heart.

"What was his name?" Almirthara asked him.

"Frerin, he was forty eight-which is young for a Dwarf. I watched him die and could not help him. Azog, the pale orc, cut off his head after he cut off my grandfather's."

"I am sorry." She said sadly.

"No one should see their younger or older brother die in battle." He said mostly to himself, but he knew she heard him.

They got to his home just after the sun fell and took Dis to her room. Almithara did some sort of Elvish incantation and then Thorin saw her out.

"It is strange." She commented as they stood there in awkward silence.

"What is?" he asked.

"Every Dwarf I have ever met would greet me with axes and anger and tell me to Ego, mibo orch."

"What does "Ego, mibo orch" mean?" Thorin asked.

""Go kiss an orc."" She replied, "However, you Thorin-son of Thrain-have done nothing of the sorts."

"I myself have never trusted an Elf, but for my mother's sake and for my honor I would have never told you to Ego, mibo orch." Thorin slightly bowed.

"I shall never tell a Dwarf that you were kind to an Elf if you promise never to tell an Elf that I was kind to a Dwarf." Almirthara said pulling her bow over her head and into her hands.

"An Elf would never give me the time of day do so." Thorin laughed.

"Nor a Dwarf for me." she laughed, "Gwestog?"

"I promise." said Thorin getting chills when she laughed.

"Boei 'waen (I must go)." She said looking behind her for a moment.

"Savo 'lass a lalaith." He remembered it was Elvish for "Have joy and laughter".

"And to you, Thorin Oakenshield." Then she ran and disappeared into the night.

They met in secret since then. Almirthara would save his life one meeting and he would save hers in return at another. It was dangerous, but they believed that it would maybe help the bitter feud between Elves and Dwarves end.

One day, on Durin's Day many month later, Thorin secretly married Almirthara. They had a daughter named Tauriel-who looked like her mother-and then had twins five years later. Dis was already married at this time and had Fili and had just given birth to Kili, she was the only one who knew about Thorin being married.

The twins were an unusual sort, one a Dwarf and another Elf. The Dwarf's name was Lain, he looked every bit like his father. The Elf's name was Lyra, she had her mother's soft complexion, but her father stubbornness and heart.

When Tauriel was considered ten years of age to Men and the twins were five to the race of Men, Thorin was packing for a hunting trip.

"Almost done?" Almirthara asked as she stood in the doorway.

They lived in the middle of a different village in hopes of her people never finding her.

"Not yet. Are the children back from school?"

"I told you once you've finished that _you_ had to fetch them." Almirthara reminded him.

"Well, I suppose I should take a break and get them." He sighed as he went over to her and kissed her before he left.

As he walked through the village he thought about how his father never did this sort of thing. He laughed and saw several children outside the school. Tauriel came running and hugged him.

"Papa! You came." She smiled even though her eyes were red and swollen as if she had been crying.

He noticed a small bruise on her cheek. "Who has done this to you?"

"I took care of it Papa." She insisted.

Thorin decided to let it drop for now and would question her when Almirthara was with them.

"Where are Lain and Lyra?" he asked.

Suddenly, he heard a girl screaming and boys shouting. He ran and saw something he never dreamed he would. Lain and Fili were fighting two boys and trying to protect Lyra and Kili; who were both bleeding and laying unconscious against a tree.

Thorin grabbed the two boys fighting his son and his sister's son then then pushed them away. The boys stared at him terrified, and then they ran as fast as their legs could carry them.

Thorin knelt beside Lyra and Kili. Lyra slowly opened her eyes.

"Papa, it huwts to bweathe." She gasped in pain. A tear sliding down her soft baby cheek.

His heart broke at the sight of his daughter crying. He felt for a pulse on Kili, it was very faint, you almost couldn't hear it.

"It is okay my dear, no one will hurt you ever again." He said as he carefully scooped Lyra and Kili into his arms. Lain grabbed his father's fur coat on Thorin's left and walked close to his side. Fili and Tauriel walked together on Thorin right.

Lyra was never one for getting into trouble, but she was fond of Kili and they never left each other's side. Thorin remembered Dis telling him that she was worried about Kili getting teased in school. He must have been teased again and Lyra was trying to stand up for him. Thorin closed his eyes and held them close to his heart.

He took Fili and Kili home, Dis was question Fili about what happened when he left. He caught that some boys told Kili he was an ugly dwarf and that he was a loser, Lyra had stepped forward and said an Elvish curse word, then one of the boys punched her in the face and Kili grabbed his hair and started punching, then the fight broke out.

Thorin cradled Lyra in his arms as the other three children followed.

"Papa," she moaned. "Will I be okay?"

"My daughter, you will live to see the halls of Erebor." He promised.

She nestled her head to his chest and fell asleep again. Tauriel then carried Lain on her back as he started to fell asleep.

"Father, how long will you be gone?" Tauriel asked.

"A long time. You can take care of your mother and siblings while I am gone, right?"

"Yes father." Tauriel held her head high.

She was a very proud Elf, she did things without question and insisted on doing everything herself.

They got back home and Thorin sat in his big chair and held Lyra as Almirthara tended to her wounds. Tauriel and Lain had their dinner and went to bed. She insisted on staying up and looking after Lyra, but Thorin wouldn't have it since she had homework to do.

"Poor Lyra and Kili, so young and innocent." Almirthara was about to burst into tears.

"Melin (I love) you Almirthara. I would reclaim Erebor and all its glory to see you laugh." He replied, "Melin tirie hendutya silale ya lalat (I love to see your eyes shine when you laugh)."

She smiled and let out a small laugh, "I should get to bed, and shall I take her up?"

"No, I shall in a little while. It will be very early when I get up to leave on my trip. My sister and her husband and sons will be visiting distant relations, are you sure I should not put it off?" Thorin asked, he hated to leave his family alone.

"Tauriel and I can handle ourselves and the twins. Go, you need some time to yourself." She kissed him, her tears sliding down her cheeks and onto their lips, "Come back to me and the children."

"I promise." Thorin said before she went upstairs.

"Wocky, wocky (Rocky, rocky)." Lyra moaned in her sleep.

She said that whenever she wanted to be rocked in Almirthara's rocking chair. Thorin got out of his chair and rocked in the rocking chair. He looked down at Lyra and saw her smiling as she slept, as if she was dreaming of happy things.

"When I come home," he whispered. "We shall do whatever you want."

"I wanna build a snowman." She moaned in her sleep.

"We will do that." He smiled.

Then his world was destroyed. He came home to find that home was gone. The village had been destroyed and many bodies were burned and had been stabbed. He ran to his home to find the door off its hinges, the chairs were burned and broken as well as everything else. There were five dead orcs in the living room, death by Tauriel's tiny arrows.

Thorin ran to the basement in hopes of finding his family hiding there. He found two dead orcs…and his dead wife.

"No." he breathed silently as he ran to her side and held her body in his arms. It was all she never was, cold and lifeless. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He ran around the whole house shouting for his children. "TAURIEL! LAIN! LYRA!" He screamed bloody murder as he looked. He checked every building still standing in the village and then the woods, but they were long gone. They were not among the burnt bodies in the square, but that didn't mean they were alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two.

For years he looked for them, but his children were never found. He almost gave up on everything. He resented everyone and everything. He stayed at his sister's since his home was too painful to look at.

One day, he sat in his chair next to the fireplace and Dis came up to him.

"Brother, could you pick the boys up for me?" She asked ever so sweetly.

"Dis, I cannot. I can no longer walk to that school." He spat.

Dis put her hands on her hips, "Kili said he could never go to that school without Lyra, but he went! Please."

"Dis-"

"Thorin," she interrupted, "it is almost my time. I'd rather not have to handle two sons who are such rascals when I feel like I'm hiding all the gold of Erebor inside me!"

Thorin looked at her round belly, he knew she was nervous since Kili almost died in child birth he was so small. He sighed and got out of his chair and grabbed his coat.

When he arrived he saw Fili sitting alone under a pine tree whle all the other children were in groups talking-which unusual for Fili.

"Fili." Thorin called.

Fili looked up and his smile became bigger than his face (Not sure how that is possible). He ran to Thorin and gave him a hug. Thorin didn't have the heart to hug his sister's son in return, but he gave him a small hug anyway.

"Where is your brother?" Thorin asked, worried about a repeat of what happened the day he left.

"He ran back inside to get some school books." Fili replied looking sad.

"What is wrong my sister's son?" he asked.

"Uncle, I miss Tauriel! She was my best friend!" Fili tried not to burst into tears.

Thorin gave him a real loving hug. "I know, Fili. I miss them too. I wish I could find them, but they are gone."

"We should get Kili." Said Fili wiping a tear from his face.

Thorin nodded and they went into the school building. They found Kili punching the two boys who were bothering him before and running around so they would catch him. He grabbed a pencil and used it as an arrow in Lyra's old bow-Thorin gave it to him since he was fond of his cousin. It hit one of the boys, but didn't hurt them. Kili grabbed a slat and broke it on another boy's head. The boy he hit with the pencil grabbed Kili and was about to throw him into a desk, but Thorin grabbed the boys' shirt collars with each hand and dropped them outside the school.

"Uncle!" Kili cried gratefully as he ran to hug him.

Thorin's heart melted and hugged Kili. "Very foolish, but very brave."

"They said Lyra couldn't stand me so she ran away with her siblings and that she was a wicked crossbreed, whatever that means." Said Kili crying.

Thorin picked him up and smiled, "Don't ever listen to people who are filled with hate, show people kindness and-if it's the right person-they will show kindness in return."

Thorin held Kili with one arm and made sure to have a free hand for Fili to hold. He realized that he may have lost his family, but his sister's sons needed him. He still had family and he had to be there for them.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Just FYI, any part of this that is also in The Hobbit Desolation of Smaug movie, that goes to Peter Jackson. Not trying to still original lines or anything, just writing a fanfic!**_

 _ **Also, in DOS when Tauriel saves Kili and they look in each other's eyes for a split second she looks like she remembers him and she shocked for a moment before having to whip around and fight another spider if you watch the scene closely and you're fast.**_

Chapter three.

Let us skip many years. To an older Tauriel. One who lost her siblings because of the worst mistake she ever made.

She stood by the river and closed her eyes. She could see Lain stretching out his arm to her as he got carried away by an orc, screaming her name. She saw Lyra trying to swim upstream to her, Tauriel could reach her though. Then, as she wondered into Mirkwood as the sun fell some orcs began to attack. She fought with every breath that was in her body! Suddenly, elves surrounded her and fought alongside her. When the fight was won, she fell to her knees; she had not slept since she lost Lyra down the river.

"You there." Said a sharp voice.

Tauriel looked up and saw an elf with long blonde hair riding what looked to be an elk like her father would hunt. He had sharp blue eyes and wore a gown made of fine silks and wore a crown of branches with berries on it.

"What is your name?" he asked sliding down from the elk and walking up to her.

She stood, her knees shaking, "Tauriel, my Lord."

Tauriel could tell he must have either been a king or lord. He walked up to her. She tried with every bit of strength she had left to stand, but she soon fell and he caught her. He picked her up and set her on his elk, getting on behind her.

"We move." He ordered his men, and Tauriel fell asleep.

When she woke up and was in a fancy room. Golden curtains, wooden walls and wooden beams. Cotton sheets and a fireplace with a big fire burning. It look like how she imagined living inside a tree would be like.

She tried to sit up but someone pushed her down.

"Lie still." It was a boy with long blonde hair, his face softer than the man's she came across in the forest.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil." He replied smiling as he held a cloth against her head, "And yours?"

"Tauriel." She replied, she heard the story of Thranduil, he turned his back on her father's people when the dragon Smaug took Erebor. If she were found out, the king could kill her or throw her back.

"Where is your family?" Legolas asked and he bandaged her hand.

"Orcs attacked my home, my family is dead." She lied. She knew her father was sure to be alive, but Lain and Lyra must have been dead.

"You are safe here Tauriel. My father found you and he said you are welcome to stay." His smile reminded her of her father, it warmed her heart.

"Tauriel!" called a voice.

Tauriel shook herself out of her daydream and turned to see Legolas.

"Yes?" she asked.

Legolas laughed, since she became Captain of the Guard-a great honor bestowed to her by Thranduil-she would go off alone every chance she could to get away and think of what she had lost. She promised herself the day she first lived in Mirkwood that when she was older she would find her father.

"Wake up, do I need to remind the Captain of the Guard that it is time to go on patrol?" he said still laughing. He only ever laughed or smiled when he was with Tauriel.

"I am coming." She said and she ran past him.

When they reached the gates, Legolas took a group of elves on the patrol and Tauriel went off on her own with the horn she was given to call in case of anything.

She hid in one of the trees, when she placed her hand on it for support she felt something sticky. She looked and found it was a spider web, one that must come from a huge spider.

"They have come down from the mountain." She whispered to herself.

Suddenly, she heard Legolas's horn. She had to go help, he must have found the spiders.

As she hopped from tree to tree, she looked below and saw a dwarf trying fight off a spider without a weapon. Tauriel had to get to Legolas and the others, but she knew she had to help this wanderer.

Tauriel jumped off a tree and onto one spider's back, as she jumped of it and was in midair she shot another one in the back and landed on the ground and stabbed it in the eye. Then whipped around as the one she jumped came closer and whacked it in the face twice with her knife before stabbing it in the head. Tauriel then whipped around again and shoot the one the dwarf was fighting in the eye. He turned and looked at her, she tried to remain expressionless like some of the elves taught her too. The dwarf looked like a face from her past-deep in the past.

A second later she heard another spider behind her and whipped around and whacked it in the face with her bow and then cut it in the face with her dagger.

"Throw me a weapon!" the dwarf shouted, "Quick!"

The spider bit on her bow and she held it there like that for a moment.

"If you think I am giving you a weapon dwarf, you're mistaken!" she shouted as she quickly stabbed the in front of her in the head and then threw a knife at the one headed towards the dwarf right in the eye!

He stared at her in the eye in amazement. He must have never seen a female fight like a man before. He had brown hair and not much of a beard. His chocolate brown eyes were those she had seen before. It was nagging her mind.

She pulled out some bonds and forced him to turn around and tied his hands.

"Are these your woods? Sorry for the intrusion but it's a short cut." Said the dwarf.

"A short cut to what? Mushrooms?" she said sarcastically, but very serious.

"Funny." He muttered annoyed.

Tauriel push him forward to join the others. She finally found them with a bunch more dwarves.

"Kili! Shouted another dwarf with blonde hair and a beard braided.

Another dwarf next to him turned to see Kili. He had brown/black hair and blue eyes Tauriel pretended to trip so it would look like she wasn't in shock.

"Are you alright?" Legolas asked in Elvish and helped her up.

"Yes, I just tripped." Tauriel replied in Elvish standing up, "Where did these dwarves come from?"

"I do not know." Legolas replied. He went on to help the other elves check the dwarves for weapons.

Tauriel kept watch to make sure no dwarves tried to run, the one she had saved would not stop looking at her. She looked away and walked casually towards them.

"Kili, what are you staring at?" the blonde one asked.

"Haven't we seen that Elf before, Fili?" the dwarf who went by Kili asked.

"Granted, she looks familiar, but don't stare." Said the dwarf Fili.

"Do not speak!" she snapped to keep from showing emotion.

She remembered a young dwarf she went to school with, who defended his little brother and Lyra with the help of Lain.

She went over to Legolas. He turned to her and spoke in Elvish, "Are the spiders dead?"

"Yes, but more will come." Tauriel replied in Elvish, "They're growing bolder."

"My Lord," called another Elf. Legolas went over to him and the elf held out a sword made by their kin.

"This is an ancient Elvish blade." Legolas said in Elvish as he held it up, "Forged by my kin." He turned to the dwarf in fur who Tauriel recognized, "Where did you get this?"

"It was given to me." said the dwarf in a stern untrusting voice.

Legolas held it to the dwarf's throat, "Not just a thief, but a liar as well!"

He then commanded that the dwarves be taken to King Thranduil. The elves pushed them forward. Tauriel walked on the outside next to the dwarf in fur, he was staring at her as well, but she knew why. She had a mix of her father's blue eyes and her mother's brown eyes. In some light they looked blue, in other's they looked a light brown. The most unusual thing was that sometimes they even looked green. The rest of her looked like her mother.

"Unless you want to fall on your face, I suggest you watch where you are going." Tauriel said sternly.

"I do not take orders from an Elf!" he snapped back.

"I'd watch your tongue, Thorin Oakenshield. King Thranduil will not take kindly to you enough as it is." She advised.

"How is it you have come by my name?" he said with hate.

"Tauriel!" Legolas called.

She turned and looked at Thorin's face as it went pale. Then she ran ahead to join Legolas.

"Why do you speak to these dwarves?" he asked.

"To warn them of what they are in for." She smirked.

He smiled back and they walked foreward together in silent.

Hours later, Tauriel sat in the hallway in disbelief, she had always dreamed of her father one day finding her, but never thought she would find him. She remembered Fili and Kili as her cousins.

She thought about her conversation with Lord Thranduil. How could she make Legolas not become fond of her? She walked down to the dungeons to check on the dwarves. They whispered to each other. She started a small conversation with Kili and then was going to leave, when she realized Legolas was watching and thought of a plan. Tauriel continued to talk to Kili, Legolas did not know she and Kili were cousins. She could talk to Kili until Legoilas left and then tell Kili and truth.

"I do not even know your name." said Kili when Legolas left.

"Tauriel." She replied.

"Do you have a father?" he asked.

"I cannot say it here," she whispered, "for it shall be the death of me."

A guard then brought Thorin back and locked him up. After he left, Tauriel got up and she walked by his cell and he grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away, but couldn't.

"Let go of me!" she snapped.

"You don't need to pretend." Thorin said in a soft voice, she stopped struggling, "Lellig."

Tauriel said nothing. She wanted to run away, but she also wanted to hug her father and melt into a puddle of tears.

"You never came, you left me and the twins to fend for ourselves." She replied growing angry, "I watched mother die and fought to protect Lain and Lyra!"

"The twins, where are they?" Thorin begged.

"Lain was taken by orcs when they attacked and Lyra was swept down river. They're dead." She said sinking to her knees.

"Tauriel, Henig." He said taking her hand.

Tauriel pulled away and ran. Thorin called after, with so much pain and agony in his voice, it was like he was losing her all over again.

She ran into Legolas, he grabbed her, she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Tauriel, what is wrong?" he pressed, "Who has hurt you?"

She shook her head and ran off crying, Legolas followed her.

"Please Legolas," she cried as she ran away, "let me be alone!"

She ran to the woods and hugged her knees and breathed heavily. For so long she was able to forget, but now she was remembering things, it was like she was becoming able to feel something again.

She was out for hours before she heard the alarm go off, the dwarves had escaped. Legolas came running towards her.

"Tauriel, the dwarves are heading down river! We must stop them." She stood up and he noticed she had been crying, "Hiril vuin Tauriel, I wish you would tell me why you are upset."

Tauriel shook her head, "I cannot. For it is dangerous."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Rusty on Elvish history and I wanted things to fit in the timeline of this fanfic, sort of. Anything from the movies go to Peter Jackson.**_

Chapter four.

"Kili!" yelled Fili.

Tauriel looked while in the middles of fighting an orc, Kili had been shot in the knee. She finished him off and watched as Kili-with every ounce of strength he had left-grabbed the lever and pulled down to help the other dwarves get out of Mirkwood.

She felt somewhat light headed.

"Not again!" she cursed under her breath.

Tauriel would flash back to her past every now and then and hated when it happened. It meant she couldn't do her job.

"Welcome Tauriel." Said Thranduil from his throne.

Little Tauriel stared, amazed at how big the room was and was a little scared being brought to the king.

"Tell me, how is it you came here?" he asked.

"My village was attacked by orcs. My mother-she is an elf-and I fought hard. She fell during the fight and told me to take my sister and brother out and to hide in the woods, to travel until we…"

She stopped herself, she couldn't tell him that they were looking for their father for then he might ask whom it was.

"Until we found our distant relations and to stay with them and they would send for our father…but he found us and was killed." She lied.

"And where are your brother and sister might I ask?" King Thranduil replied.

"My brother was taken by an orc and probably dead by now, my sister was swept down river and most likely drowned." Tauriel held back tears, she knew her father was alive and never did find them, but he might as well have been dead. She gave Lyra her locket that had a picture of their mother and father since she was so little and she never wanted her to forget their faces, now that locket was lost forever along with Lyra.

"Gladir!" Thranduil called a guard forward, "Take Tauriel to the training ring."

She followed him and then impressed many of the men with her fighting skills. Legolas and she would even fight for fun.

Thranduil became fond of her and took her in. She learned the skills to fight like and elf instead of a dwarf-which some of the men said she fought like even though she fought well, and became one of Thranduil's soldiers.

During one battle, she sacrificed herself for Legolas. An orc was about to chop his head off when she got in the way and the orc slashed her stomach. Tauriel bent over and held it as Legolas finished the orc off.

"Hiril vuin Tauriel!" he gasped with one arm around her.

"Leave Legolas, for I cannot." She breathed.

Legolas slipped his arm under arm knees and picked her up. He carried her to his white horse Gael. Then they rode back to Mirkwood, she awoke in her own bed and was stuck there for a two weeks.

One day, as she was resting, there was a knock at her door.

"Enter." She moaned, thinking it was Legolas.

"You should not give Legolas false hope." Said Thranduil as he entered.

Tauriel tried to sit up quickly, but failed and laid back down.

"I do not understand." She replied.

"I have come to tell you I am making you Captain of the Guard, but I ask one thing." Thranduil stood by the window and gently pushed the curtain back, "Do not hurt Legolas by making him think you have affections for him. He has become found of you, and I think of you as my daughter. I would hate to see you bring him sorrow."

Tauriel was deeply offended, but she wanted Thranduil out of her room.

"Yes my Lord." She replied bowing her head slightly.

Thranduil walked over to her bed and felt her head gently with the palm and back of his hand.

"You are terribly warm, rest." He commanded and then left.

She understood he cared for her and _did_ think of her as his daughter, but it still hurt what he said. Thranduil ruled over Mirkwood, but he would never rule over her heart! She wanted to please him though and continue to live in Mirkwood since there was nowhere else for her to go.

For years since then she tried to stop doing whatever it was she did win Legolas's affections, but her friendship and just being herself seemed to be the problem; and she couldn't stop at that.

Tauriel snapped out of her flashback to find that the fight had moved down river…she hadn't been there since Lyra fell in. Tauriel jumped up and ran to catch up.

She ran through the woods, after King Thranduil commanded her to leave and she found out the arrow that hit Kili was poisoned she knew what she had to do. Kili was all she had left of her sister since they were so close as children.

Tauriel could only imagine what would happen, she knew the risks. Thranduil would most likely banish her, ashamed of her behavior after he took her in and treated her as a daughter, but her real father was headed for the mountain and her cousin was dying and Elvish healing was surly the only way to save him.

She came to the place where she lost sight of her sister Lyra, a deer lay dead nearby. She stopped for a moment and thought of Lyra. She looked just like their father only with the softer complexion an elf had. Tauriel was always jealous of her siblings, they looked the most like their father and she more of her mother.

Suddenly, she heard a faint noise behind her. She slowly reached her hand up, then quickly grabbed and arrow from her quiver and put it in place and whipped around to face her enemy and look him in the eye before shooting.

"I thought you were an orc." She said in Elvish, her aim still locked.

"If I was an orc you'd be dead." Legolas replied with his aim locked as well. They both lowered their aim. "You cannot hunt thirty orcs on your own."

"But I am not on my own." Tauriel replied with a mischievous smile on her face.

Legolas smiled, "You knew I would come."

Tauriel smiled and then turned away.

"The king is angry Tauriel, for six hundred years my father has protected you, favored you, you defied his orders." Legolas said sternly as he walked up her, "You betrayed his trust!"

Tauriel hated how Legolas was talking to her like she was a naughty child. Elves time is different from ours, so six hundred years could have meant a short amount of time for us (Just a guess).

"Come back with me…" Legolas said in Elvish, "…he will forgive you."

"But I will not." Tauriel replied in Elvish, "If I go back, I will not forgive myself." Then she spoke in English, "The king has never let orc filth roam our lands, yet he would let the orc pack cross our boarders and kill our prisoners."

"It is not our fight!" Legolas insisted.

"It is our fight!" She said getting a little annoyed, "It will not end here! With every victory this evil will grow! If your father has his way we will do nothing! We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light, and let darkness descend. Are we not part of this world? Tell me, when did we let evil become stronger than us?"

Legolas sighed and started walking ahead of her, "I cannot go back without you, so I must go with you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five.

"Tauriel? Where's Mama?" asked Lain wide-eyed.

"She is still at home, she will join us soon, and so will father." Tauriel replied, she couldn't bring herself to tell him that their mother was murdered in cold blood.

"I'm hungry." Moaned Lyra with tears in her eyes, "I want Papa!"

"We must keep walking, we shall find food soon." They ran out of the village so fast they never had time to gather food.

For months Tauriel had gathered plants and anything edible. Some humans showed pity on a young elf trying to keep her baby brother and sister alive and gave them food, others dismissed them.

"Why do some people help us and others do not?" asked Lyra.

"That is just how the world is. There is good people and bad people. Where there is bad there is good to try and overcome it." Tauriel replied.

Ever since they left their village Tauriel had written their mother and father's name into the dirt or in a notebook Tauriel had left in her bag. She had an oval shaped locket that their parents gave to her for her birthday with a small painting of each of them inside, Tauriel would point at the mother and say her name and then their father and say his name. She gave the locket to Lyra so she would never forget their faces-since she was a little younger than Lain.

"Why couldn't aunt and uncle stay to help protect us?" asked Lain.

"Aunt Dis is pregnant, and they wanted to tell some distant relations in person. I overheard her telling father. If they stayed they might have died." Tauriel replied.

"Like Mama?" asked Lain.

"Mother didn't die." She lied.

"Tauriel, Lyra's asleep, and I'm smart. It's clear she died." Lain replied crossing his arms.

"It was not your burden to bear." Tauriel looked down at her feet.

"She's my mama too. It is yours, mine, and Lyra's burden. It's best though that Lyra doesn't know, it might scare her." Lain was already started to grow up a little more.

A week later, it was early afternoon when they made it to a house in a meadow outside the woods. It seemed nice and safe, but Tauriel learned never to trust anyone.

"Can we stop here?" asked Lyra; who Tauriel was carrying on her back.

So they walked up to the doors-which were huge-and Tauriel knocked. A tall man opened it and looked down at them. He had a shirt on wide open and was-according to Lain-very hairy.

"Please sir, my brother and sister and I are very tired. Might we rest here?" Tauriel begged.

Suddenly Lain, who was holding her hand, passed out from not sleeping for almost a week. Tauriel bent over to help him up, but the man picked him up. Lain looked so small in the man's big hands.

"Come, rest yourselves." Said the man motioning with his head for them to come in.

"Thank you sir." Tauriel replied with Lyra asleep on her back.

"My name is Beorn." He laid Lain down on a soft bed of hay.

There were many animals roaming around the house. Goats, cows, mice, and even many smaller creatures. As well as bumblebees that were as big as Lain's hand (Which was pretty small but bigger than normal sized bumblebee).

Tauriel set Lyra down and walked over to the table where Beorn had sat down.

"How far is Mirkwood from here?" she asked.

"That forest is too dangerous for young children. What do you seek there?" Beorn asked.

"My mother's father lives there. We would be safe there and send a message to our father telling him where we were." Tauriel had tried looking for her father and wanted to keep doing so, but the twins couldn't last forever travelling. They needed rest.

"You should not go there without help." Beorn warned.

"I have been protecting them for months on my own. I think I can handle it." She felt confident, but doubted herself just a little bit.

He got up and grabbed what looked to be a map and, with a pen, drew something on it.

"Here is the path to Mirkwood. I can provide you with ponies to get you there, but send them back, they will find their way. Once you enter the forest do not stray from the path or you shall be lost forever." Beorn warned again, "You must rest."

"No, I should stay up." She had not slept at all since they left. For months she forced herself to stay awake.

"You are far more tired than they. You will be safe here." Beorn replied.

Tauriel yawned and went over to join her family on the hay and fell fast asleep.

She awoke to find she had slept the rest of yesterday. It was about ten o'clock, she stood up to find Lyra and Lain talking with Beorn at the table eating breakfast.

Once they had finished eating, Tauriel felt more refreshed than she had been in forever. They found two ponies saddled with bags of supplies. Beorn helped Lain onto one of them and Tauriel helped Lyra get on one and then joined her.

Beorn came over to her pony, "Remember what I told you."

She nodded, "Once we are at the edge of the forest, send the ponies back. Do not stray from the path."

"Good luck to you, young Elf." Said Beorn.

Then Tauriel started off with Lain following her on his pony. She followed the map and rode fast once Lain felt used to his pony so he could keep up.

After a day or two of riding non-stop (Lain wasn't too happy about that) they came closer to the edge of the forest.

Lain's pony suddenly fell. As Lain tumbled off, Tauriel saw that there was an arrow in the pony's hip. She turned and saw twenty orcs and three huge wolves making their way towards them! Tauriel whipped out her bow and pulled and arrow from her quiver and then shot any orc that came near them.

A giant bear came out of the woods the orcs were in and started attacking the lot of them. The ones riding the wolves were able to get past the bear though.

Lain ran for Mirkwood, but an orc riding a wolf grabbed him and carried him back with the other riders in the opposite direction of the bear, but towards the same woods. Tauriel kept trying to shoot him down, but he wouldn't fall until she shot him in the neck. Another orc riding another wolf next to him grabbed Lain before the orc fell.

Tauriel reached for another arrow, but her quiver was empty, she reached again, hoping she was wrong, but there were no more. She watched helplessly as the orcs disappeared with her brother.

"Tauriel." Whispered a voice filled with worry, "Tauriel."

She faintly opened her eyes. She saw river, but it was sideways. She turned her head, it was on someone's lap, to look up and saw Legolas, his face filled with relief.

"You were distracted since we left, suddenly you slipped and fell." Legolas explained, "Who is Lain?"

"What?" she moaned not understanding.

"You were screaming for Lain." He replied.

She tried to sit up, Legolas helped her carefully.

"Lain is my brother, or rather was." She replied.

"Lain, unusual name for an elf." Legolas commented. Tauriel didn't correct him, so far no one knew of her father being a dwarf and her being half dwarf.

She started to try and stand up, he had his hand on both her arms as he did what he could to get her back on her feet.

"Why have you been so distracted, Tauriel?" Legolas asked.

"I have been haunted with the mistakes I've made. I wasted all my arrows and let orcs take my brother, I let my sister fall into the river- _this_ river and drown. For so long I've made mistakes that got my family killed, when will it end?" Tauriel admitted. Legolas may have been the only person she trusted. When she was young she told everything to Fili and had no friends outside of family. Legolas was the only person.

"You never told me you had a brother or sister." Legolas commented.

"I wanted to try and forget, but I never forgave myself and I never forgot. I swore that if any of my family should come my way again I and if I knew one of them was in danger I would never turn my back on them." She replied as they started walking a bit.

"But you didn't turned your back on your brother or sister." He pointed out.

"But I didn't try harder to save them!" She wanted to tell him that her father was headed for Laketown with her cousins and one of them was dying, but she was not sure if she could tell him without him hating her forever. When he was younger he had always wanted to meet a dwarf, but now he was older and thought were as bad as Thranduil made them sound.

"What is it with you and these dwarves?" Legolas asked.

"There was a time when you would have loved to chase after dwarves." She smiled playfully.

He smiled as well, "I was young, and so were you. We've both grown."

She rolled her eyes and ran ahead a bit. Then they were off again. She wished it could always be like this, since she came to Mirkwood it was hard to pull those two a part they had been best friends since then. Sadly, she knew that something would happen to him. It seemed that something bad happened to everyone she loved.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six.

"Lyra! Could you go and get some potatoes from the market? We've run out!" Saalme called from the kitchen.

"Yes Saalme!" Lyra called as she slipped on her boots and grabbed her faded pink coat and a sack.

When she was small she fell into a river and almost drowned. Then a fisherman was out on his boat and pulled her out of the water and took her home to his wife. Lyra lived with them and grew fond of them and their daughter who was married to a man named Bard and had three children. Two years after her rescue the man died, leaving his wife Saalme and Lyra. Years later, Bard's wife died. Lyra was all Saalme had.

Lyra pulled her dark purple bandana over her ears a little more, the man, Saalme, and Bard were the only ones who knew she was an elf. They talked about taking her to Mirkwood, but it never happened. Lyra didn't mind though. Laketown was a poor town and she wanted to help it.

When she got to the market she went straight to the stand with fresh vegetables. After buying the potatoes she put them into her sack.

"Well if it ain't lil' Miss Queen of the world?" said a voice in her ear.

"Hello Alfred." She groaned.

Alfred was the most disliked person in Laketown-next to the Master. He liked bullying Lyra best out of everyone.

"What cha' got there?" he asked grabbing her sack.

She pulled it away, "Nothing of importance."

He tried to grab it again, but she pulled away. Right as he was about to slap her a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Alfred, should I tell the Master you have been trying to steal?" asked Bard.

"I wasn't stealin' I wanted to inspect in her sack!" Alfred replied.

Truth be told, he was also known for taking at least one of whatever some people bought in the market.

"Best you leave." Bard replied.

Alfred snarled and walked away. Bard turned to Lyra, "Are you alright?"

"Fine, he just scares me is all." Lyra replied, "I best get back to Saalme's, she asked for some potatoes."

"Could you tell her I went off to pick up something from the Elves?" he asked, "I don't want her to worry."

"Of course. Good day Bard." Said Lyra leaving.

She held her sister's locket. Tauriel gave it to Lyra so that she would never forget her parents' faces. She never forgot their faces, but she did forget their names. She remembered the last day she saw her father before he left to go hunting was when she was half asleep and he promised to do whatever she wanted when he got back. She said she wanted to build a snowman. He promised. For so long she thought her father would find her, but he never did.

Lyra went to a special spot where she would go to be alone by the lake. She then opened the locket and looked at the picture of her mother and father, the memory pained her, and it grabbed at her heart with everything it had.

Then she looked at Erebor, remembering the stories her father told of how one day he would return to the mountain to slay the dragon Smaug and reclaim their homeland. She dreamed of the day when that would be so!

Lyra realized what time it was and then went home, wiping a tear from her eye.

Hours later, as she laid in her warm bed, she heard noises. Chattering, which was unusual for that time of night. She slipped out of bed and threw off her nightgown. After changing into clothing and slipping on her boots she grabbed her coat and went outside, quietly closing the door behind her in hopes of not awaking Saalme.

Lots of people were talking in the main square. Lyra caught a few words. _Dwarves_. _Dragons_. _A mountains' worth of gold_. Her head was spinning, was what her father said coming true? Had he returned to reclaim Erebor?

Lyra ran for the square, grasping her locket. When she reached it she saw thirteen shadows before a hand grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Where ya think you're goin'?" asked Alfred.

"Why should I reply to the likes of you?!" Lyra was filled with so much hope her father had come that she grew mad at Alfred for stopping her from finding out. She spit in his face.

Then he yanked something off her neck, the locket.

"What ha' we got here?" he asked looking at it.

It was oval with an oak tree carved into it. She remembered the story of how her father defeated Azog the Defiler with an oaken branch as a shield.

"That's mine!" she snapped trying to grab it, but he had a firm grip on her arm and held it away from her.

She spun and twisted free from his grip. She kicked him to try and make him drop it. Lyra tried to remember all the skills her father taught her. Alfred slapped her hard across the face, causing her to fall and threw the locket aside. It almost went through a crack in the ground when a hand quickly grabbed it.

Suddenly, a dwarf-while holding the locket-pushed Alfred away and growled.

"Do not touch her!" he snapped in a deep voice.

"This ain't over Sweetie!" Alfred snarled as he pointed at her, then he walked away hunched over.

Lyra tried getting up and a hand helped her. It was the dwarf, he was still glaring.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded.

"It was my sister's." she replied trying to take it back. She was desperate to get it back.

"Who gave it to her?" he asked.

"Our mother and father had it made for her on her birthday." Lyra replied.

The dwarf opened it and looked at it for a moment. Like he had seen it before.

He handed it to her, "How is it you are out this late?"

"I heard of dwarves returning to the mountain, my father told me when I was small that he would someday reclaim Erebor. I was hoping to find him here." She replied hugging the locket to her chest.

"What does your father look like?" he asked.

She pointed at the picture of her father in the locket, "He looks like this."

Lyra looked at the picture of her father and looked at the dwarf. The dwarf had a little bit more of a beard than her father had at the time, but their eyes were the same.

"Was your mother's name Almirthara?" he asked.

"Yes!" she gasped remembering her mother's name now that she heard it again.

"Lyra." He said in relief.

She realized this dwarf _was_ her father! She hugged him, he embraced her as if he was afraid some force was going to pull her away.

"Tauriel said you drowned!" he gasped letting her go.

"Tauriel! She's alive?" Lyra gasped.

"Yes! I have found you both!" he embraced her again.

"Thorin?" said someone behind him surprised.

He turned around, "Bofur, allow me to introduce Lyra, my daughter."

The look on Bofur's face was amazement. The other dwarves turned and Thorin sounded as if he was ready to shout to the top of his lungs and awaken Smaug.

"Come, you must join us." Thorin said to Lyra.

Lyra thought how horrified Saalme would be if she had found that Lyra was gone, but it was a small town, so it wouldn't be hard to find her.

She nodded and went with the dwarves inside the Master's house. They spent the whole night relaxing and also celebrating the return of Thorin Oakenshield's daughter. After one of the dwarves-who Lyra later learned was named Bombur-was confused and wondered why Thorin married a human had removed the bandana from Lyra's head and showed everyone that she was an elf and told them he married and elf. Lyra was afraid everyone would laugh at the great Thorin Oakenshield for marrying an elf, but Thorin seemed to not be ashamed.

"Lyra." Said Thorin calling her over. He was talking to a Halfling, "This is our burglar, Master Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo, this is my daughter Lyra."

"Yes, hello. A pleasure." Bilbo said bowing his head slightly, obviously not sure what to do.

"The pleasure is all mine." Lyra replied smiling.

"Lyra!" screamed a friendly voice.

She turned and saw a brownish blackish haired dwarf limping towards her with a smile on his face that was worth more than the gold in Erebor.

"Kili!" she shouted as she ran to join her old play mate and friend and cousin.

A lighter haired dwarf was behind him and smiling as well. They all hugged each other. Lyra was beginning to fear that this was all just a dream that she would wake up from and find that her family was dead and she alone.

"Oh Lyra!" gasped Fili, "It's been so long. For years we thought you and your brother and sister dead!"

"But they are dead." Said Kili terribly confused.

Before Fili could say anymore another dwarf pulled him away. Kili and Lyra talked alone for a bit before it got later and things started to settle down. Lyra sat in a big chair by the fire and listened as the dwarves sang of the Lonely Mountain and what it was like the day Smaug took it over. She started to drift as she remembered all those nightmares she had as a child and nothing would help her sleep except her father singing that song, not even her mother singing an Elvish lullaby. Before she knew it she was fast asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven.

Lyra woke to the sound of birds singing. She was no longer in the chair she fell asleep in, she had been moved to a huge bed. Bigger and comfier than the hard hay-stuffed mattress she had been sleeping in before. She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed, the morning air was cold, she wanted to crawl back under the sheets, but she had to get up. She slipped her boots back on and grabbed her coat. Even though the other dwarves knew she was an elf no one in the town did, so Lyra tied her bandana back on.

She heard cheering outside. A sudden fear came over her, what if they had left already. She ran out of the room and outside. Soon she made it to where there was a boat that would take the dwarves to Erebor. Her heart was pounding with worry. That worry had stopped when she ran straight into her father and almost fell over, he caught her though.

"Slow down my daughter!" he gasped practically laughing, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I…was afraid you…left already." Lyra replied out of breath.

He smiled, "My dear, I would have never left with saying goodbye, but it will not be for long. You and your sister shall join us in Erebor soon."

"I long to go with you and help, but I know it's too dangerous for me. There are some dangers I cannot face." Lyra looked at her feet, she hated that she could go with her father. What if he died trying to defeat the dragon? What if something even more terrible happen to him?

"Lyra," Thorin lifted her head up to look her in the eyes, "I have never been good with keeping promises, and you know that, but this will not be the last time we see each other."

She threw her arms around Thorin and embraced him, "I will see you again father, _I_ promise."

He let her go and smiled. Then she turned around and saw Fili and Kili. Kili looked terribly gray in the face. He was clearly ill.

"Come to see us off?" asked Fili smiling.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it." Lyra smiled as she hugged him.

"Just think, we shall all be in the mountain and our-mine and Kili's-mother and sister will be there!" said Fili.

"Aunt had another child?" Lyra said confused.

"Yes," said Kili, "that's why when we were small we left the village to see some distant relations, mother wanted to tell them in person."

"What is the child's name?"

"Yarabella. Kili picked it." Fili replied, "Of course we call her Bella."

"Lovely name." Lyra replied turning to Kili, "Cousin, you look awful. Shouldn't you stay and rest?"

"Lyra, I feel fine. I look worse than I actually feel." He insisted. She could tell he was lying.

"Kili, we should be going." Said Fili.

Kili gave Lyra a weak hug and then the two brothers went to join the rest of them.

"Worried?" asked Bilbo Baggins as he walked up to her.

"Yes, you'll watch after my father won't you?" she asked.

"I'm sure he can talk care of himself." Bilbo reminded her.

"That treasure is said to be cursed. I couldn't bare it if he fell under its spell. Do whatever you have to to make sure he does not go mad or anything." Lyra did not know Bilbo very well, but he seemed like a very worthy and loyal person, she wondered if all hobbits were like that.

"I promise Lyra. He is my friend-I guess you could say. I shall do what I can." Bilbo replied.

"Thank you." Said Lyra handing something to Bilbo, it was Tauriel's locket, "When he needs a reminder of who he is."

Bilbo nodded as he took the locket and then went off to join the others. Then Lyra heard someone calling for her. It was a woman's voice.

"Saalme!" she gasped realizing how terrified she must have been.

She ran to find her and then bumped into Bard.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Bard.

Lyra told him what happened. She spoke so fast he could barely keep up, but once she told him how her father was Thorin Oakenshield his face grew dark.

"He goes to tat mountain and awaken the dragon it will destroy us!" he said annoyed.

"I honestly don't know how he plans to kill the dragon, but hopefully it will not affect Laketown in anyway." Lyra replied, "Please tell no one what I have just told you. If they found out I am his daughter who knows what the Master or Alfred will do!"

"I will not breathe his name again." Bard promised.

Lyra then ran off to find Saalme, soon enough she found Saalme with Alfred holding her wrist.

"Ah, there you are you little imp." Said Alfred.

"What is the meaning of this?" she spat in a way that sounded like her father.

"I was wondering where you were and I thought I'd ask Saalme here. She didn't know where you were either." Alfred replied tightening his grip on her wrist.

Lyra had one of the most dangerous things anyone could possess, the anger of a dwarf. She remembered feeling so weak and helpless when she was young, she swore she would never be that way again! Lyra kicked Alfred between his legs, he let go of Saalme. Lyra pushed Saalme out of the way and while Alfred was still on the ground she kicked him in the stomach.

"You are nothing but a coward who messes with the weak to look strong. The way of a coward!" she then left him on the ground and walked with Saalme.

"Where were you? I was worried sick! When you weren't in your room I went out looking for you and ran into him!" Saalme said all at once.

"I couldn't sleep, there was a lot of noise and excitement last night. I went out to see what it was, and I met a face from the past. I was reminded of who I am." Lyra replied.

Saalme didn't press to see what Lyra meant. They walked to the edge of the peer and saw the dwarves go by.

"Dwarves?" said Saalme curious, "What are dwarves doing here?"

Lyra didn't hear the question. She noticed the Fili, Kili, Bofur, and the one with the ear horn-she forgot his name-were not with the others. She would have shouted to see where they were, but they started to get a little further out. But she was able to see Thorin look her way and smile. She smiled back and placed both her hands on her heart. When she was little and had trouble first speaking she'd place both her hands on her hearts when she would promise something. Thorin remembered and did the same.

"Do you know that dwarf?" Saalme asked.

"Someone from my past." Lyra replied as a tear slid down her cheek.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hopefully this chapter is good. May be a little rusty.**_

Chapter eight.

Lyra looked out from her favorite spot at the mountain. It had been a couple days since the dwarves left, she couldn't help feeling small in the darkness that surrounded her. She would unconsciously reach for her locket and then remember that Bilbo Baggins had it. She didn't regret giving it to him. Two years before her village had been attacked she couldn't sleep and walked down stairs to see her father. He sang the song about the day Erebor had been attacked as he stood by the fire.

"Papa," moaned a tired little elf. He turned and his expression became soft, "I can't sleep."

He smiled and picked her up and sat in his chair, "Why my daughter?"

"I was thinking about something I heard Aunt Dis say, wegwet (Regret). Tauwiel told me what it meant and I was thinking if thewe was anything I wegweted." Lyra replied.

"Lyra, you are young there is nothing you should regret. You should never worry about things when you are young." Thorin said holding her close, she never felt as safe as she was when she was in her father's arms.

"You awe (Are) not young, is thewe anything you wegwet or wowwy (Worry) about?" Lyra asked innocently.

He laughed a little, "I regret not being able to help my brother, grandfather, and father. I worry that I will become an unworthy king when I take back Erebor, but that is nothing you should worry about."

"They youw (Your) wowwies and not mine?" she asked.

"Exactly." Said Thorin as he carried her back to bed.

Lyra never understood what he meant when he told her what he worried, but as she got older she understood. He was afraid of catching the sickness that the gold was said to be cursed with. She didn't regret giving Bilbo the locket because perhaps it would help her father incase anything should happen.

Suddenly, she heard faint footsteps. She slowly stood up and-with quiet steps-she went to where she heard the sound. As she walked past and open door and sword stuck out in front of her throat. It was so unexpected and sudden she lost her breath and almost fainted.

Then out of the darkness came a blonde-haired elf with bright blue eyes with a serious look on his face.

"What is it a young human like you should be out this late?" he asked.

"I-I was out for an evening stroll." She replied.

He still had his blade close to her throat. She got annoyed and took off her bandana. He stared at her wide-eyed.

"An elf?! Among humans?!" he made it sound like it was a crime.

Then another elf came from behind him. A She-elf. A familiar face at that. She remembered the picture of her mother and this elf looked a lot like her, but there was something different about her.

"How is it that two elves should be here." She asked as she carefully put her fingers on the blade and pushed it down.

"Our business is our own." The blonde elf said sternly.

The She-elf pushed him out of the way and moved forward, "We are looking for the dwarves that may have come this way."

"They were here, they went to the mountain except for four." Lyra replied trying to decide if she should give them away. She also had a feeling that was not what the blonde-haired elf had in mind for what they were doing.

"One of them, a brown black-haired archer, was hit with a poisoned arrow." The She-elf replied.

Lyra felt her heart stop. She knew Kili was ill, but not poisoned. She could tell by the tone of the She-elf's voice that she meant well.

"There," she said pointing at Bard's house, "Kili has been ill for days, I'm surprised he's made it this long."

"I never said his name, how do you know it?" The She-elf had her hands on some knives.

"He is family. My cousin." Lyra said in a stern tone that was not her own.

"You are a daughter of Thorin Oakenshield?" she asked. Lyra nodded, "Lyra?"

"Tauriel!" Lyra almost cried in relief. Tauriel was about to hug her but Lyra stopped her, "We may celebrate later, I know no Elvish healing. You have been taught well. Go to Kili!"

Tauriel nodded, "You are not the Elf I once knew."

"You are the same one I knew." Lyra replied, "Now go!"

Once they had hurried away Lyra went on her own way. Since everything was quiet she decided to walk around in peace and quiet. When she got home she called inside.

"Saalme! I shall be going on a walk."

"Okay. Hurry home!" Saalme called in reply.

Lyra walked through the town, just thinking of her mother; whom she hadn't thought of much. When she was a baby she loved it when her mother sang to her, but when she got older, only her father's voice could calm her. Her parents never talked about how they fell in love or even how they met. She wondered how her mother felt when her father asked her to marry him.

Suddenly, she heard a loud rumble that sounded like and earthquake, a great fear rushed over her…Smaug had awaken!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine.

Everyone had awoken to the sound of the dragon and started running around screaming. Lyra knew she had to get Saalme out of Laketown soon. She ran back home, but one of the panicking people of Laketown ran by with a plank of wood-don't ask-and knocked her out temporary.

When she woke, people were screaming even more. She heard them yell that the dragon was coming. She saw her home within reach.

"Saalme!" she shouted.

Suddenly, fire came pouring onto the house. Smaug flew by and knocked the roof off with his tail and sent wood beams falling. One fell onto Lyra. She tried pushing one off her left shoulder, a million invisible bees stung her. Finally, she got it off, but her left arm was weak and it hurt to move it. Lyra ran inside screaming for Saalme. She soon found her on the ground with a wood beam on her back and her eyes wide open. Lyra wove through the burning beams, when she reached Saalme's side she felt for a pulse, nothing.

She hurried out of the burning building she once called her home, and ran to Jakob's-Saalme's husband-fishing boat, it was about the size of Bard's. Once she found it not in flames she gathered as many as she could onto the boat. Lyra wanted to go looking for Bard and his family, but she knew they had a boat and he would protect them as well as Fili and Kili.

She jumped on and two of the men on it pushed off and headed towards shore. So many little children cried at the sight of the dragon. Lyra got shivers up her spine. Then she went over to one of the women.

"Try and keep the children quiet, we cannot risk being seen by the dragon." She instructed.

The woman nodded and did as she was told. One of the men walked up to Lyra. His name was Jared, he was about the same age as Bard.

"Where's Saalme?" he asked.

"She is dead. I could not get to her in time." Lyra replied.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

She looked off at Laketown and watch Smaug bump into the bell tower and another person screamed in agony.

"Everyone has lost something or someone. Their hardships are far greater than mine." She replied as a tear slipped from her eye.

"Goodness! You're an elf!" he gasped.

Lyra realized she forgot to put her bandana back on, now her secret was out.

"Yes." She replied simply.

Once they got to shore everyone got off and as Lyra and Jared got ready to go back and get more people she heard Smaug shout. She turned towards Laketown and saw him flying upwards screaming and gasping, then his eyes grew dark and he fell on top Laketown. Smaug was dead!

"Ring the bells!" Jared cheered turning towards the others on shore, "Smaug is dead!"

"We must hurry and save who we can." Lyra reminded.

So they went back to Laketown and-even though it was still burning-walked through to gather people and get them out of some burning buildings. Lyra got burned many times, but she didn't stop.

By dawn, there were hundreds of survivors on shore crying for the loss of their loved ones. Lyra walked to the edge of the water and looked out at the burning town that was once her home.

"Da!" she heard a familiar voice cry. It was Tilda, Bard's youngest daughter.

She ran to find them, soon she found Sigrid and Tilda with Tauriel.

"Lyra!" Tilda cried as she ran to hug her.

"Thank goodness you all are alive!" Lyra cried as she hugged Tilda.

"Lyra." Said Tauriel looking like she was ready to cry.

Lyra went over to her long lost sister and hugged her. If only their father was there, or even Lain.

"I'm glad you made it out." Said Tauriel.

Lyra thought this was unusual, but Tauriel had spent most of her life with Elves; who tend to hide their emotions. Lyra had spent most of her life with humans-and we all know what they are like!

"As am I." Lyra replied looking behind her, "Where's Fili and Kili? Did they make it out?"

"Yes." Tauriel replied leading the way to where they were.

Bofur, the other dwarf, and Fili and Kili were trying to push a small boat out onto the lake. Kili saw them and went over to them.

"Lyra!" he cheered and hugged her.

"Kili." She smiled.

He let go of her and looked her in the eyes, "We were just about to head to the mountain, join us! Thorin will welcome you gladly."

"I promised my father once Smaug was dead I would, but these people have nothing and have suffered. I must help them get back on their feet before I join my kin." Lyra replied.

"You were always one to help others." Kili smiled, referring to the last time they saw each other.

"Let father know that I will join you soon." She replied. He nodded and then she turned and walked with Sigrid and Tilda.

"We can't find Da anywhere!" Tilda said with panic in her voice.

Lyra knelt down and looked Tilda in the eye, "Your father Bard is a strong and brave man, as is your brother. We will find them."

They walked around looking for Bard. The Lyra saw a little boy hugging his knees and crying as he sat next to a woman lying dead. He had dark hair and blood shot green eyes.

"Stay with him," Sigrid said with a hand on Lyra's shoulder, "Tilda and I will try and find our father."

Lyra nodded and knelt beside the boy, "What is your name?"

"Thor." He said in a small voice.

"Is this your mother?" she asked. He nodded, "Where is your father?"

"Dead when I was three." He replied.

"How old are you?"

"Six." He started to cry, "I don't have brothers or sisters!"

"Hey," she patted his back softly, "you are not alone. I shall stay with you."

He crawled into her lap and she held him. It made her think of what it must have been like for Tauriel when she protected her and Lain.

"Will you be like my sister?" he moaned.

"Yes, I will." She replied smiling.

He curled up and fell asleep. She stroke his head and sang the song her father always sang.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten.

"My Lord Legolas," said an elf in Elvish, riding up to Legolas and Tauriel, "I bring word from your father. You are to return to him immediately."

"Come, Tauriel." Legolas said as he walked forward.

Tauriel stayed where she was, she knew what was coming.

"My Lord, "The elf replied in Elvish, "Tauriel has been banished."

"Banished?" Legolas replied confused.

Even though she knew it was coming, it still hurt. She knew that this was what was to happen, she betrayed King Thranduil-who took her in, and now she must pay.

"You may tell my father, if there is no place for Tauriel then there is no place for me." Legolas replied.

"Legolas, it is your king's command." Tauriel said with her head slightly bowed. She could not let him suffer for her crimes.

"Yes, he is my King," Legolas replied in Elvish, "but he does not command my heart."

Then Legolas started to walk away, she followed him.

"I ride north, will you come with me?" He asked.

She nodded and they went over to his horse Gael. Legolas made sure the saddle was secure while Tauriel petted the horse's neck.

"How did he get here?" Tauriel asked, shocked.

"I do not know, he must have sensed danger when we left and followed us." Legolas replied.

"You know you did not have to do what you did." Tauriel looked down at her feet. She could never be with Legolas even if she wanted to.

"Tauriel," Legolas said in a soft tone that he used when he talked about something he cared about, He lifted her chin up, "I have known you for a very long time, and I will not abandon you as your family has."

She said nothing about how her family was alive. He thought they were dead, so she left it at that.

"Also, we have important work elsewhere." He said as he got onto Gael. He held out his hand for Tauriel and when she gave it to him he pulled her onto his horse and they rode away.

As they sat in the rocks outside of the fortress, waiting for the cover of night, Tauriel thought about what Legolas had said about Gundabad being the place where his mother died. She never told him about her mother, she did not think it important.

"I watched orcs kill my mother in cold blood." She said aloud silently. Legolas looked at her, she kept her gaze on the fortress. "I was with my brother and sister in the family room. Then someone started banging the door down. My mother took them and ran down in the cellar to hide them, and grabbed my bow and arrows my father made for me. My mother came up from the cellar with her bow and arrows. People were screaming outside.

"Suddenly, orcs streamed into our home and my mother and I fought hard. My mother saw three orcs heading into the cellar and told me to stay where I was and to make sure no more orcs entered. Then after what seemed like an eternity I went down to the cellar.

"My mother was fighting two orcs at once and had already killed one. Then one of them drove his sword through her. I shot him in the throat and when the other turned around I shot him in the heart.

"I ran to her side, I held her, and she told me to take my brother and sister and to flee to Mirkwood and to find her brother and father. She told me to never forget who I was before she died in my arms."

Tauriel hated to cry in front of anyone, but her mother's memory was too strong.

"Who is her father and brother? What was her name?" Legolas asked thinking he could help somehow.

"Her name was Almirthara. Her brother's name was Dyffros. Once I came to Mirkwood I tried looking for them, Dyffros was killed in battle alongside his father and my grandmother died giving birth to my mother." Tauriel replied shaking her head.

"Almirthara was well known, she-"

He stopped. She knew what he was going to say.

"-She fell in love with a dwarf and disappeared one day. Is that why you care about the dwarves of Erebor?"

She nodded, "Since I can never return to Mirkwood I suppose it does not matter if I tell you…Lyra is my sister."

"Why would it matter if an elf is your sister? I remember her, she was the daughter…"

He couldn't finish his sentence, he didn't have to, Tauriel knew what he would say.

"The king of Erebor is you father. You told me he was dead." Legolas said in disbelief.

"When you told me that your father was Thranduil I knew I couldn't. Not even King Thranduil knows of my dwarf history."

They sat in silence for a while. Tauriel soon caught herself starting to drift. She shook her head and tried to stay awake. Next thing she knew, she was asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven.

"Do you see any?" Young Legolas called smiling.

"The chances of finding dwarves in Mirkwood are small." Young Tauriel called back.

"Keep looking!" he called ducking under a bush.

They had been out in the woods searching for dwarves for hours. It was early afternoon and they had been out since early morning.

"Maybe I might find some if I climb that tree." Tauriel called while pointing at the nearest tree.

"Good thinking Tauriel!" said Legolas still hiding.

Tauriel climbed to the top and looked around the forest. No dwarf to be seen. She sat on the biggest branch and hugged her knees to her chest, she wanted to scream for her father. She felt like a lost child-which she was. Tauriel regretted all the times she told her father she hated him, all the times she was jealous of her father's love for Lyra and Lain. The image of her father's face when she first yelled at him and insulted his kin. It was shock and pain and anger all mixed together.

"Find me." she said aloud in a whisper, "Find me."

Suddenly, she heard a scream.

"TAURIEL!"

She climbed down from the tree and ran to find Legolas. She feared the worst.

"Legolas!" she screamed with tears in her eyes.

Just then, an orc jumped out from behind a bolder and slashed her left arm, she held it to her chest and fought with the small sword she had. Before the orc could scream she slashed off his head.

"I smell the blood of Oakenshield, find it!" an orc shouted.

Tauriel almost couldn't move, it was the first time she heard her father's name in forever. Twenty orcs came her way, she ran. Not because she was afraid, because she knew she had to find Legolas. Five soon surrounded her, she fought them single handedly-literally. Then a horn was blown and more elves came.

"How could you?!" Thranduil shouted at Legolas, "Not only did you put yourself in danger, but Tauriel as well! She cannot train or fight for several weeks!"  
"I am sorry father, but we were just playing…"

Legolas stopped, Tauriel stood there with her arm in a cast. Never had either of them see Thranduil so angry as well as in relief. Thranduil turned his back on them and looked at his throne.

"My men say the orcs were looking for someone, someone with the blood of Oakenshield." He spat the name like it was a curse word that should never be said, "If they come back I want to be sure you are both safe, you will stay within our walls even after Tauriel's arm heals."

"But My King," Tauriel gasped, "by the time my arm heals I shall be desiring to go out into the woods."

"I cannot risk the safety of you both." Said Thranduil turning around and walking towards Tauriel, "Since I found you in the woods many years ago I have taken it upon myself to make sure you are looked after." He then put a hand on her shoulder, "Perhaps this will soon be done with and we shall have nothing to worry about."

Legolas and Tauriel then left, both a little unhappy.

"I really thought we would find some dwarves this time!" Legolas said disappointed, "But instead we find orcs and isolation!"

"We will still get to see other elves, it is not as if we are being shut in our chambers." Tauriel reminded him.

"Tauriel. Tauriel, wake up." Said a voice that sounded far away.

Tauriel awoke to Legolas gently shaking her shoulder. He shook his head with a small smile.

"Never have I known you to fall asleep in the middle of a job." He said in Elvish.

"Forgive me, I must not be myself today." Tauriel replied in Elvish as she rubbed her eyes, the sky was darker than when she fell asleep.

After a few minutes, Tauriel thought it was dark enough.

"If we are going in we should move now." Taureil said in Elvish.

Suddenly, giant bats came out of nowhere screaming. Legolas and Tauriel ducked in hopes they would not be seen. Once the bats flew away from them they came back up and looked out at the fortress as the bats flew towards it.

"They are swarming." Tauriel gasped in Elvish.

"These bats are bred for one purpose." Legolas replied.

"For what?" Tauriel asked, even though the answer was fairly obvious.

"For war."

Then they saw an orc on a wolf appear on the rocks. He looked their way, Tauriel was worried that they could be seen and ducked a little, but Legolas did not duck. He stared at the orc with distain-as if there is another way to look at an orc.

The orc then shouted something in his foul language. Horns blew and an army of orcs marched out of the fortress.

"We must warn the others!" Tauriel gasped in Elvish.

"We may be too late!" Legolas gasped as well in Elvish as he turned to her. He stood up and quickly went back down, "Hurry!"

Tauriel followed him, hoping they weren't too late.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve.

Several days/weeks earlier.

"Where are we going?" asked Thor shaking from either the cold or fear.

"We are going to Dale." Lyra replied grabbed some supplies and then picking Thor up.

"I'm cold." He moaned.

"I know, we shall be somewhere warm soon." She assured him.

They walked for days before they finally reached the old city below the mountain. Erebor was silent, Lyra could not tell if anyone was alive inside or if Smaug slayed them all before burning Laketown.

 _"Please be alive!"_ she begged.

They walked into the city and some of the older men and woman looked at it, ready to cry. Lyra knew that they must have been children when it happened and remembered the whole thing.

"Sire! Sire!" Alfred called to Bard.

Lyra knew Bard hated being called that and wondered (a) why didn't tell Alfred to stop every time he did it and (b) why he even trusted Alfred!

After Alfred pointed something out to Bard he called down to the people to get fires going and that they would be making camp there. Lyra handed one of the woman the supplies and held Thor. She noticed people staring at her a lot more than usual, it was because of her ears. She kept her focus on Thor, who was still shivering.

"Get him to a fire." Bard said from behind her, "Keep him warm as well as yourself."

"I am alright, it is him I am concerned about." She replied.

Bard grabbed a blanket from one of the woman handing them out and draped it over her shoulders, "You have never been a very good liar. You're honest about your concern for him, but lying about not being cold yourself."

"What was Alfred showing you?" she asked pulling the blanket closer with her free hand.

"The dwarves survived, the beckons at the door are lite." He replied, "You should go to them, they are your kin."

"I told my cousin Kili that I would join them once I knew the people of Laketown were back on their feet." Lyra replied now cradling Thor.

Bard smiled, "I hope your father is as true to his word as you are of yours."

He then went off to check on the others. She went over to a fire and tried to keep herself and Thor warm.

"Ya can't be here!" Alfred came over to the fire and looked at Lyra.

"Says who?" she asked annoyed, "I don't answer to the likes of you anymore!"

"You're an Elf! An outsider." He replied. Then he grabbed the collar of her coat and dragged her into a dark spot, "You're the daughta of that dwarf Oakenshield, you should be with them!"

"I must help these people. They have suffered, something you would never understand you coward!" she snapped as she held Thor closer.

Alfred pushed her away, almost knocking her over. "Get outta here! Your kind ain't wanted!"

"I will not!" she growled.

Suddenly, she heard a baby crying and went to see if there was anything she could do. One of the woman made a carrier for Thor and Lyra slipped it-with him in it-on her back and then helped try to feed the children and the wounded, but there was very little food. She tended to the wounded all night and never slept.

As she wrapped clean bandages around one boy's head she heard cheering. Did her father come to their rescue? Once she finished what she was doing she went out to join the others. The elves of Mirkwood had come to help! They gave food and supplies, but Lyra knew they must have mostly come to get something from the mountain.

She tried looking for Bard, but instead found an elk who seemed to like her. He licked her face.

"Hello there. Where did you come from?" she said petting him as she smiled.

"Who are you?" asked someone in a stern voice.

She jumped and turned to see a blonde-haired elf who seemed to be very powerful.

"Forgive me, is this your elk?" Lyra asked moving away from the elk, "I just found him here alone."

"How is it an elf is among Men?" he asked as he mounted his elk.

"Everyone wishes to know that it seems." She replied, "I came to Laketown as a child, I have lived here."

"You look familiar, not in a good way." He said with so much stiffness is his voice it was like he had no emotions at all.

"I am afraid I do not know why." She replied. Suddenly it hit her, this was King Thranduil. He must have been thinking of her father Thorin. She had to get away from him, "I must be going."

"Lyra." Moaned Thor as he started to wake up, "I'm hungry."

"I know, do not worry. We shall get you some food soon." She went away from Thranduil and went to see Percy about getting some food for Thor.

"What about you?" he asked handing her a bowl of soup for Thor.

"He is my main concern." She replied taking the bowl and setting it down. The she took off the carrier and took Thor out of it. She feed him the soup and then he seemed to perk up. He kept a blanket around him, but he followed her everywhere and was able to keep up.

"Lyra," said Bard coming over, "we need to talk."

They both went to a look out and ducked down so no one could see them.

"You have to leave." Bard said in a grave tone.

"Did Alfred say something?" she asked annoyed.

"No, why?"

"He knows, he must have over heard us somehow." She replied.

"It's not that. Thorin will not honor his agreement. He will not give the people of Laketown the riches he promised. If Thranduil finds out who you are he will use you to get to him." Bard's voice was now filled with worry, "Please, you must leave."

"Where am I to go? I cannot go to the mountain, it doesn't seem safe." Lyra said as Thor stayed close by her side.

"You will have to if you are to stay alive." Bard replied.

"Bard!" shouted Thranduil. Lyra ducked deeper as Bard stood.

"Yes My Lord Thranduil?" Bard called down.

"If you see the young Elf who lives among you named Lyra bring her to me. She may be the answer to her problem." Thranduil replied.

Bard nodded and a moment letter came back down. "Alfred does know, he was standing next to Thranduil smirking."

"I have no choice, I must make my way towards the mountain." She said shaking her head.

"Be careful, the elves are watching closely at that mountain." Said Bard.

Lyra nodded and looked at Thor, "You shall come with me."

"Where are we going?" asked Thor.

"To my home."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen.

They neared the mountain, but the entrance had been blocked by many stones and there was no bridge across the stream in front.

"Hello?" she called up to the top, "Is anyone there?"

There was not a sound coming from inside the mountain.

"Are you sure there are people inside?" asked Thor.

"It is I! Lyra!" she called.

"Lyra?" said a voice. The face that belonged to the voice peeked over the side.

"Bilbo Baggins!" she sighed in relief, "I am glad to see you alive and well."

"Alive that may be, but not well." He replied, "One moment and I shall help you up."

He dropped a rope and Lyra helped Thor climb over the stone face of her

Great-grandfather. Then she had Thor tied around the waist and had Bilbo-with what strength he had-pull him up. Then once Thor was at the top Bilbo untied him and threw the rope down to Lyra so she could climb up.

"Thank goodness you are alive!" Bilbo said once Lyra was at the top.

"I am not the one who was face to face with the dragon." She reminded him, "Why has father refused to help the people of Laketown? Some of those people helped me when I came to them!"

"Dragon sickness. Thorin has caught it. He is not himself. He's changed." Bilbo said sadly.

"Where is the locket?" she asked.

"I gave it to Dwalin, maybe he can do something to talk some sense into him." Bilbo replied.

"I would try myself, but I could not stand to see him like that." Lyra said with a rock in her throat, "I would, however, like to see my cousins."

"They are all asleep, but just wait here for me to come back and you'll see them." Bilbo smiled.

"Where are you going at this time of night?"

"I have a plan that is dangerous, but could work. To avoid war." Bilbo replied.

"I pray it shall work. To go to war over the mountain would be ill for all." Lyra picked Thor up as he was about to fall asleep.

"Who is this?"

"This is Thor, he's mother was killed when Smaug attacked. I am his family now and he is mine." She replied, "You better leave before anyone wakes up."

"Yes, I shall be back soon." He replied throwing the rope back down and climbing out of the mountain.

"Rest, Thor." She said sitting down and having his head on her lap, "Dream of happier times."

"Lyra?" said a voice.

She awoke to find that it was still pretty dark. Fili knelt down in front of her.

"Fili!" she gasped excited.

He hugged her and Kili joined them. Suddenly, Thor began to stir.

"Who's this?" Fili asked messing with Thor's hair.

"Thor, his mother was killed when Smaug attacked and his father died long before then. I am the only family he has." She replied.

Thor rubbed his eyes and saw the two dwarves and hugged Lyra in fright. He moaned a little.

"It is alright Thor, these are my cousins. They are my family, which makes them yours." Lyra said smiling.

Kili held out his hands and Thor put his in them and then smiled a little.

"Lyra, the others are getting ready for battle, it's not safe for you here." Fili insisted.

"I cannot see my father if he is not himself." She replied.

Kili nodded, "Come with us."

She stood and Thor took Kili and Fili's hands, looking so small compared to them. Lyra smiled at the sight and followed them. They led her to a small room and told her to stay there for a while and that she and Thor would be safe.

"I want to fight too!" Thor said excited, "I want to wear armor!"

Fili smiled and picked Thor up, "You're too young right now, but I have a special job that you must do. Protect Lyra."

"Can you do that?" Kili asked.

Thor nodded, "I still need armor."

Fili and Kili laughed and Lyra smiled.

"Here," said Fili giving Thor his two favorite knives that Lyra replied him carrying around everywhere, "Use these if anyone should come with means of harming you or Lyra."

"I would give you my bow, but I lost it." Said Kili then turning to Lyra, "It was actually your old bow."

"My bow!" she cried remembering it, "At least I know it wasn't something my father had sitting around to remind himself of his lost children."

"It was for a while, but then he gave it to me." Kili replied.

"Kili! Fili!" Thorin shouted.

Lyra wanted to hide at the sound of her father's voice.

"Coming!" Fili shouted then turned to Lyra, "Stay safe."

She hugged her cousins and feared that this might be the last time she would hug them. They then gave Thor a hug and said how he was a good kid and seemed pretty brave. Then they hurried before Thorin came looking for them.


	14. Chapter 14

_**I wanted to see things a little from Thorin's POV again. Hope you guys like it!**_

Chapter fourteen.

Thorin went into the great hall, where the gold that they tried to drown Smaug in had hardened. He felt as if he couldn't breathe, he was fighting a sickness inside of him.

He looked in his hand at the locked Dwalin gave him after their talk in the throne room, when Thorin threatened to kill him. He knew not how Lyra got it to Dwalin, but he knew she would not want him to be like this. She could have been dead for all he knew, he could have killed her when Smaug made his way towards Laketown, but there was something inside him telling that she was alive.

He thought of everything others had said to him, what Bilbo said, what Dwalin said, and how he insisted he was not his grandfather. He felt dizzy, as if he was becoming ill.

Suddenly, he thought he saw Smaug under the gold, swimming. Then he felt himself sinking within the gold, he tried to escape, but the gold was coming down on top of him. He was being buried.

Then he shook his crown off and took deep breaths. He remembered all he said to Bilbo and the others and how he suggested to worry more about the gold than his own kin.

He then got rid of the armor and became Thorin Oakenshield again, it was who he was. He walked back through the great hall and saw a little boy running in the distance. A young dwarf laughing and a female dwarf chasing him.

"Thorin! Get back here right now!" she demanded.

"No! I am the king!" he said in reply.

She soon caught him and looked him in the eyes.

"Thorin, you were meant to do great things. I believe it. You should never run from those who love you or care for you. Our kin comes first before anything! One day you will be king and you will know what it really means to be king. Do you understand my son?"

"I think so, but as you said. I won't know until I'm king." He replied.

She smiled and hugged him, "Never change my son."

"I promise Mother." Thorin said aloud.

Just then, he did see a little boy, but and actually human. Then an elf chasing him.

"I want to fight with Fili and Kili!" he insisted.

"Thor! You cannot!" she insisted. It was Lyra.

"Lyra!" Thorin called with joy.

She turned to look at him, there was worry in her eyes. Then when she saw the smile he had as he walked to her and that fear went away.

"Father!" she cried with joy as she ran to him.

He embraced her. He felt as happy as he was when he found her in Laketown. He could tell she was crying.

"I was so worried about you!" she cried.

He let go and looked at her, he wiped a tear from her cheek.

"How did you get here?" he asked still smiling.

"Bilbo was at the gate when I came and threw down a rope. I wasn't going to leave until the people of Laketown were settled, but Alfred-the manwho was always with the Master-knew who I was and told King Thranduil, I had to flee." She replied as the boy hugged her leg.

"Who is this?" he asked looking down at the boy.

"This is Thor, his father died long ago and his mother was killed by Smaug." She had her hand on his small head, "Thor, this is my father Thorin Oakenshield, King of Erebor."

"Where are Fili and Kili?" Thor asked him.

Thorin smiled, "They are waiting at the gate. I must join them."

"Are you going into battle?" Lyra asked.

"Yes," he placed his hand on the right side of her face. "Listen to me, you must stay underground. I would never forgive myself if anything was to happen to you. This is our home, my daughter, and I shall defend it!"

Then he handed her a letter, "If I should fall, read this and keep it safe."

She nodded, "I will father, I promise."

He hugged her and then put a hand on Thor's shoulder, "Take care of her."

"She's been taking care of _me_. I think she can take care of herself, but I will." Thor replied.

Thorin and Lyra laughed. He held out her locket. "This helped me to remember who I was."

She closed his fingers around it, "Keep it with you. As a reminder."

He smiled and embraced her one last time. Then he left the great hall and made he's way for the gate. He slipped the golden chain over his head and tucked the locket away.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Who's read for some Feels?! *Mutters* Not me! This chapter I watched the clip from Tauriel and Kili vs Bolg scene from BOTFA. Anything from the movie goes to Peter Jackson! Just putting that out there.**_

 _ **I hope after reading this fanfic you'll all like Tauriel and Kili (Not as a couple) if you don't already. You might not be able to watch BOTFA the same way again! ;-P**_

Chapter fifteen.

When they finally came to the mountain the battle had already begun. Tauriel had a moment of great fear rising in her chest, what if her family had been killed? She instinctively tightened her grip around Legolas just a little bit. They rode through Dale-killing some orcs on the way-until Legolas stopped Gael.

"Gandalf!" he shouted jumping off and walking towards a wizard in grey with a pointed hat.

"Legolas?" said the wizard, "Legolas Greenleaf!"

"There is a second army! Bolg leads a force of Gundabad orcs they are almost upon us!" Legolas informed the wizard Gandalf.

"Gundabad?" Said Gandalf suddenly realizing, "This was they're plan all along."

Tauriel looked around at all the pain. Men fought hard to protect their new home. She also looked for her sister Lyra; who said she would be helping the people of Laketown. Lyra was nowhere to be found.

"Azog engages our forces while Bolg sweeps in from the north!" Gandalf continued.

"The north? Where is the north exactly?" asked the Halfling next to him somewhat in panic.

"Ravenhill." Gandalf replied walking away.

"Ravenhill," The Halfling gasped, "Thorin is up there! And Fili and Kili they're all up there!"

Tauriel's heart stopped. Her father and cousins were right where the army would be coming. If they were not warned in time they would die! Tauriel turned to look in the same direction Gandalf and the Halfling. She knew-in her heart-what she had to do. She had to try and save them. But first, she had to make sure Thranduil wouldn't turn his back on the people of Laketown or the dwarves.

She stood in front of a back way out of the city, knowing that would be the place Thranduil would try to flee.

Soon enough, he and his army of elves came her way, after Thranduil cut an orc down he saw her and stopped.

"You will go no further!" she snapped in Elvish and then said in English, "You will not turn away, not this time."

"Get out of my way!" Thranduil growled.

"The dwarves will be slaughtered." Tauriel replied, tears forming in her eyes.

"Yes, they will die. Today. Tomorrow. One year hence a hundred years from now, what does it matter? They are mortal." Thranduil replied coming closer to Tauriel.

Tauriel grew angry. She knew life was short, but she would gladly give up hers so that he cousins and father might live another day.

She whipped out and arrow and aimed between Thranduil's eyes. Thranduil looked disappointed and betrayed. He had cared for Tauriel for years and treated her as a daughter and now she had turned on him.

"You think your life is worth more than theirs, when there is no is no Love in it. There is no Love in you!" She growled.

He looked away for a moment then sliced her bow in half. In shock, she dropped it. Besides, what use was a broken bow?

"What do you know of Love?" he asked with the tip of his sword near her throat, "Nothing! What you feel for the dwarf is not real!"

She looked at him in shock. It was not the Love he was thinking of, but she did Love Kili as well as Fili. It seemed that perhaps all the other elves thought the same thing Thranduil did, but it was wrong. She loved him with the strongest Love there is, the Love of Family. There is no greater Love than the Love one feels for Family. And to hear that someone thought it wasn't really was offensive. She had been without her family for years and thought her sister was dead, now that they were alive Thranduil would forsake them?

"You think it is Love? Are you ready to die for it?" Thranduil held the tip of his sword closer, ready to slice off her head.

Suddenly, a sword came out of nowhere and stopped him, it was Legolas. Thranduil stared at him in disbelief, as if he was thinking, "Betrayed by my own son?!"

"If you harm her, you will have to kill me!" Legolas said sternly in Elvish. Then as Thranduil lowered his sword Legolas walked up to Tauriel and spoke in English, "I will go with you."

She didn't want to stay near Thranduil another minute! She swiftly turned away and started walking. Legolas followed her.

They hurried towards Ravenhill, Tauriel ran so fast she couldn't breathe, but she didn't want to stop. Legolas grabbed her arm.

"Tauriel, stop."

She was terribly out of breath, she felt as if she was drowning.

"We must….keep going!" she insisted.

"It will not do the dwarves or either of us very good if you are weak before the fight." He replied.

Tauriel tried to catch her breath for a moment, once she felt better they started running again. When they came closer they stopped, the bats had come. One flew so low that Legolas grabbed its legs and it flew up with him dangling underneath.

She continued to make her way up. When she reached a certain part she saw one of the dwarves (Dwalin) fighting some orcs. She stabbed a couple for him.

"I had it taken care of! I needed no help from an Elf!" he snapped.

She rolled her eyes. Then she went in search for her father, but couldn't find him. She climbed up some stairs to the frozen river. There, her father was fighting several orcs alone.

"Father!" she screamed and pulled out her knives, running to join him without thinking.

He turned for a moment and dodged an orc's strike. He smiled for a moment, happy to see his eldest daughter. Back to back they fought any orc that came their way.

"Get down!" she shouted after he finished off another one.

He ducked and she threw a knife into and orcs head. Thorin went over and took the knife out and looked at it for a moment, he remembered when he gave them to her.

He looked at her and smiled, then he stopped, as if remembering something that worried him.

"Find Kili. Help him." he said as he gave her back her knife.

She nodded and ran-as best as one could across a frozen river-to the other side. Tauriel stopped for a moment, for there on the ground lay Fili. Blue eyes open, no longer breathing. She fell to her knees and knelt by his side. She held his hand for a moment and closed his eyes. Suddenly, she remembered how the last time they saw each other him and Lain were trying to protect Lyra and Kili; who were weak and lying against a tree. She knew what Fili would do and what he wanted her to do.

"I will find him and do what I can to save him!" she promised Fili and a tear fell from her cheek onto his.

Tauriel laid his hands on his chest and kissed him, then got up. To honor his memory, she would do what she could to save Kili. To insure that he would live.

She ran into the ruins and then fought some orcs that came her way.

"Kili!" she shouted, "Kili!"

"Tauriel!" he shouted back.

"Kili." She breathed looking up to where it sounded like he was.

Suddenly, she heard a growl and Bolg came rushing towards her and kicked her into a stone staircase. She groaned as a sharp shooting pain ran through her chest. She grabbed her knife and slashed at Bolg, but it seemed to do nothing. He grabbed her arm, she freed herself and slashed at him again and went behind him and slashed again. He moved his arm behind him to try and whack her, but she duck and spun around and tried to find his weakest spot-which was hard with all that metal sticking out of him.

He tried to punch her, she grabbed his arm and was about to stab him in the head, but he grabbed the arm she was holding the knife with a twisted it. Tauriel moaned as she was sure he would break her arm, then he brought his fist down on her head. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her high, she struggled to get free, and he licked his teeth, pleased with himself for defeating the elf.

The she kicked him in the knee and he fell. She hit him and freed her arm, but then he grabbed her and through her into the stone wall. Her head spun and the sharp shooting pain paralyzed her for a moment.

"I smell the blood of a dwarf." The orc said in his foul language as he pulled out his mace and came closer, "The blood of Oakenshield."

He held his mace high above his head. Suddenly, Kili jumped on top of Bolg and tried to stab him in the head. Joy filled Tauriel's heart to see her cousin alive. Bolg flipped Kili over his head and Kili landed on his back on the stairs, he jumped back up though and growled as he charged. This was not the same little helpless dwarf Tauriel remembered, he seemed older. The realization hit her, he was there was Fili was killed. He saw the older brother he looked up to for year die.

He ducked as Bolg took a swing at him then slashed at Bolg. Then Bolg grabbed his arm pulling him in and punching him in the face. Kili stumbled back for a moment and Bolg held the other end of the mace-which was as sharp as a sword-above Kili's chest.

Tauriel found her strength and got up while Bolg wasn't looking, then she jumped on his back, still very weak from the blow of hitting the wall, and grabbed his mace. She tried to pull it out of his hands put couldn't.

Bolg threw her off him and she tumbled to the edge of the cliff and tried to get back up. She looked and saw him run Kili through the chest.

"No!" she gasped.

Kili turned his head towards Tauriel. She gazed at him with tears in her eyes. He struggled for breath, but through his eyes she could hear him.

 _"Tauriel, I remember. You are my cousin!"_

 _"Yes, I am."_ She said in thought.

He shook his head a little, _"Do not cry, I shall be with my brother and father. As well as your mother."_

 _"Yes my sweet Kili."_

He struggled even more for breath, _"Goodbye Tauriel."_

Then he took his final breath and closed his eyes. This time, Tauriel could not fight the tears that were coming, they flowed like a river and she gasped in pain. Bolg let go of Kili and pulled out his mace, Kili's body fell to the cold ground. Never again would she hear his voice, see his smile, or the smile on his face he had when he was with his brother, it was one that was different from the rest.

Bolg turned to Tauriel and made his way towards her. She used what strength she had to get up, but it felt as if tiny knives were stabbing her every time she tried to move. Tauriel thought of how angry se was at this beast for killing her cousin. It gave her strength.

As he lifted his mace, Tauriel grabbed his neck, but Bolg held her in a way so that he could throw her off the cliff. When he tried to she still had her arms around his neck and spun around, then planted her feet on a rock a pushed off. Soon they tumbled over the edge.


	16. Chapter 16

_**No copyright intended, any parts actually in the movie go to Peter Jackson! The brilliant idea and creation of Middle Earth go to J.R.R. Tolkin! ;-)**_

Chapter sixteen.

With each rock she hit as she tumbled down it was just more knives stabbing her everywhere. Finally she stopped on a ledge and gasped for breath. She faintly saw Bolg walking down a set of stone stairs towards her. Tauriel couldn't breathe, she coughed and gasped, but the pain grew worse.

Suddenly, Bolg looked up and she heard something collapsing. She turned her head and though her eyes were closing she saw a blonde elf on a tower that became a bridge.

"Legolas." She breathed before the pain became too great and she lost consciousness.

"Tauriel, come here." Said Thorin when she pasted the family room.

Tauriel was worried he'd found out about the fight at school. Some boys who were taller than her insulted her father and her. She punched on in the nose and after the other two dragged her into the woods to finish her off she twisted one boy's arm and shoved the other boy into the mud and ran.

"Yes father?" asked Tauriel nervous.

Thorin handed Tauriel two Elvish knives. She unsheathed them, they were small but very beautiful. She could see her refection in the silver blades.

"Why are you giving these to me?" she asked.

"They are a reminder, to remember when to fight and when to walk away." He knelt down and put his hands on her shoulders, "We cannot just hit people whenever they do us wrong, if we could I would be in Mirkwood fighting with Thranduil."

Tauriel laughed.

"My point is, no matter what those boys said you should just-"

"Majestically flip my hair and walk away?" said Tauriel.

"I was going to say walk away and ignore them, but that works as well." He smiled, "Keep these knives with you, don't let anyone take them from you, and use them for protecting yourself and those you love."

"Yes father."

Tauriel awoke and saw Legolas fighting Bolg on the tower-bridge. She knew she could not help him, she was still too weak. She pushed herself up and used what strength she had to get back up to Kili. Even breathing grew harder every time she moved to crawl up. She turned to look back at Legolas for a moment. Bolg was gone and Legolas was look up, she looked where he was and saw that her father was lying there with an orc ready to strike.

"Father!" she tried to cry but it sounded more like a crock.

Legolas did the one thing she never thought he would. He took the sword her father had when they captured the dwarves and threw it at the orc. It hit it right in the chest, then as it fell Thorin grabbed the sword and looked at it for a moment.

Tauriel started crawling up again and it seemed to have taken several months before she finally got back to Kili. Once she was at the top she crashed back down, sure that she would die.

Legolas went over to where he saw Tauriel lying, but she was no longer there.

"Tauriel!" he shouted, he feared that she had been taken by an orc, "Tauriel!"

He saw in the little bit of snow on the rocks that someone had been crawling upwards, he followed the trail and when he reached the top he found her close to the edge, laying on her side. He rushed to her and put two fingers to her neck, she had no pulse.

"Tauriel?" he put his head to her chest, holding his breath in hope of hearing her heart, nothing. He held her in his arms and started to cry, she looked so much younger than what she really was, not because she was an elf, but because her eyes were closed. She looked like the little elf child his father carried through the doors so many years ago. Her face was sickly pale.

Legolas realized that he hadn't cried or shown sadness since his mother died when he was very young.

"Oh Tauriel!" He gasped in pain, as if Bolg had stabbed his heart.

He thought of how he teased her for having two quivers filled with arrows whenever they went hunting or scouting.

"It just makes you slow!" he teased.

"I'd rather be slow then out of arrows at the wrong moment." She replied with a look on her face that seemed sad.

Now he realized that she was right.

"Legolas." She moaned.

"Tauriel!" Legolas gasped as he looked down at her. He held her a little closer, "You had no breath, you were dead."

"I did not feel dead." She replied trying to get up.

Legolas picked her up and took her over to Kili's body and set her back down and helped her sit up.

She held Kili's hand, soon she felt no pain anywhere else but her heart. Legolas stood up and walked away, but she knew he was still in the ruins watching her. She didn't move, she didn't want to leave Kili alone for a minute.

For what seemed like ages she stayed with him, then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Thranduil came out from the shadows of the ruins.

"They want to bury him." She said with tears slowly streaming down her cheeks.

"Yes." Thranduil replied.

"If this is Love I do not want it. Take it from me! Please!" she begged looking up at him. Every time she thought of her family when living with the Elves of Mirkwood she would exercise having no emotion. She hadn't felt pain that great since her mother's death, as well as Lain and Lyra's "death", but it was harder since she had just found her family and yet again they were taken from her.

She saw how even Thranduil was crying as he stepped forwards.

"Why does it hurt so much?" she cried as the pain spread.

"Because it was real." Thranduil replied.

She thought of telling Thranduil how he was wrong about what Love it was, but he would only come to loath her more. She still could not bring herself to tell him, she told Legolas, but with Thranduil she could not. She bent over and gave a small kiss to Kili. Then she smiled, thinking about how young Kili would feel about it, he hated it when his mother kissed him before school in front of her and Lyra. She laughed a little and held his hand close to her face. She then she slipped the stone he gave to her into his hand.

"Come Tauriel." Said Thranduil starting to walk away.

Tauriel tried to stand, but as soon as she stood she gasped in pain and fell. Thranduil caught her and put his arm under her knees and then lifted her up.

"My King Thranduil," said one of the soldiers, "we must return to Mirkwood."

"Get me a horse." He said as he carried Tauriel.

"My King, Tauriel has been banished." He reminded Thranduil.

"She is injured. Will you forsake her?" he asked sternly.

"No my King." Said the soldier bowing.

Thranduil carried Tauriel out of the ruins and met the army at the foot of the mountain. One soldier brought him a horse and he slipped Tauriel on and got on behind her.

 _"I will return Father!"_ she tried to tell him through thought, _"I promise."_

Little did she know that when she returned, her father would not be there.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Let me throw this out there, I was listening to sad songs while writing this and the next thing I know I'm bawling and went to the cupboards and started eating Nutella while crying (No joke!). So this hurt me more to write than it will for you to read! Review appreciated.**_

Chapter seventeen.

When the battle was over, Lyra walked out with Thor holding her hand. The dwarves moved out of the way as she walked out of the mountain. Soon she found Balin talking with Dain. When they saw her they looked sad.

"What has happened?" she asked concerned.

Balin could barely open his month, but Dain could.

"So this wee las is no other than the daughter of Throin Oakenshield!" said Dain as he bowed and then was he straightened up he laughed, "Never in my wildest dreams have I ever pictured myself bowing to an Elf!"

She smiled, but then turned to Balin who still was sad.

"Balin, what is wrong?" she asked.

He simply pointed at the bottom of the hill that was known as Ravenhill-she spent her time in the mountain looking over old maps. She saw Dwalin, Bofur, Bombur, and Gloin carrying down someone and eight other dwarves from Dain's army carrying two others.

"No, please tell me it isn't true!" she gasped turning to Balin.

He nodded sadly, she and Thor took off running towards them. When they reached the bottom they moved aside so the other dwarves could get down and set the carrying down. There, laid her father. His eyes were shut and his hands were over the wound in the stomach.

"No. NO!" she screamed as she fell to her knees.

She placed her hand on his blood covered hands, they were ice cold.

"FILI! KILI!" Screamed Thor as he fell to the ground and threw a tantrum.

Lyra took one of his hand and kissed it, "Don't leave me Papa, I found you. Don't let me lose you a second time! I could not bear it!"

Lyra did not care about all the people staring at her. She cried as she held onto her father's hand. Then she threw herself onto him and started sobbing.

"PAPA! PLEASE LET THIS BE A BAD DREAM! LET ME WAKE UP!"

But there was no waking him up. What was done was done.

What she didn't know was that when he tried to keep Azog's sword from running him through he thought of his children, they were alive and they were safe. He knew his strength would fail him soon, there was no way he would get out of it alive. He remembered seeing Lain, alive and healthy in the Shire. Lyra, waiting for him in Erebor. Tauriel, helping Kili. He feared that he would never see his children before he died, but now he had.

He removed his sword and Azog's sword went through him. The pain felt nothing compared to what he felt when his children were lost! Before Azog could take his sword out of him he stabbed him. Azog's eyes within seconds became clear, he was dead at last. Thorin stood and walked over to the edge of the frozen river and looked out at the battle. "I'm sorry Lyra," he said to the mountain as he held the locket, "I am going to your mother."

Lyra felt a hand on her shoulder. Balin looked as sad as she felt, maybe even more so. She stood up and hugged him. She had her father's blood on her coat, but Balin didn't seem to care.

He tried to comfort her, but nothing would do. She lost her father at a young age, now after just finding him he was taken from her!

Soon she dried her eyes and went over to Thor and rubbed his back as he cried.

"THEY WERE MY FRIENDS! THEY WERE MY BROTHERS!" he screamed.

She tried not to start crying again at what he said, but it was very hard. Soon she picked him up and he hugged her hard saying over and over again until he fell asleep, "They were my friends! They were my brothers!"

Lyra stood in the halls among the pile of gold and supervised as the dwarves put it in baskets and took them to a lower part of the mountain.

"Lyra, let me have someone wash that for you." Said Bofur who had walked up to her.

Dain was making preparations for the funeral and it had only been five hours since she saw her father and cousins lying dead. She had not taken off her coat covered in blood.

"No, leave it be." She replied with no emotion in her voice.

"Well, Bard's at the gate. He insists on seeing you and only you." Bofur replied.

"Stay and keep an eye on things." she replied walking away.

The dwarves had already started rebuilding Erebor, but to make sure no one tried to steal the gold they began moving it deeper within the mountain. Those who were not helping with that or the funeral were working on the gate. There, Bard waited to see Lyra.

She had changed into the finest dress that was silver and looked like armor. She wore white gems fit for a princess. Dain promised to have a crown made for her, she would rule alongside him. She had kept the coat on with her dress and had the top buttons buttoned so no one could see the jewels.

Lyra came to the gate and it brought her some joy to see Bard alive and well. He came up to her and hugged her. Everything was silent. The dwarves did not approve of Bard hugging their princess.

"Get on with your work." She ordered and they got back to it. She looked at Bard, "After all the pain it brings me joy to see a friendly face."

"I'm sorry for your lose. I didn't know Thorin that well, but I'm sure he was a good man." Said Bard pulling out something wrapped in a cloth, "I've come to return this."

She took a quick peek and knew what it was right away, the Arkenstone.

"Thank you Bard, is your family alive?" she said worried.

"My family was lucky, others were not as lucky." He said sadly, "Thranduil and his army went back to Mirkwood, and the Eagles flew back to their home."

"Did you see an elf with auburn hair wearing a green dress?" Lyra asked in hope of news of her sister's fate.

"I saw an elf such as the one you speak, was she the one who helped save my daughters?" he asked.

"Yes! Is she alive?" she asked eager.

"She was on Thranduil's horse, weak from battle. One can hope she survived the ride back to Mirkwood." Bard replied.

"She will be upset if she's misses our father's funeral." said Lyra, "She is my sister."

"Does Thranduil know?"

"If he took her with him I'm sure he does not! If he did he would have eft her to die." She pointed out, "I know I promised to help the people of Laketown but…"

Bard held up his hand, "Say no more, you have work here. The people of Laketown are in pain right now since the battle took so many men and boys, but I'm sure they will get back on their feet."

"At any rate, I shall honor my father's word for him." She replied, "If you will follow me."

Bard followed Lyra into the mountain and she meet with Balin.

"Balin, have the dwarves take five big baskets of gold to the people of Laketown." She ordered.

"As you wish Your Highness." He said bowing and smiling.

She turned to Bard, "How is it you came by the Arknestone?"

"The hobbit brought it, he thought it was a way to keep from a war breaking out. Unfortunately, it didn't." He replied, "I must get back to Dale."

"Yes, the gold will be brought momentarily." She replied.

Bard smiled, "You've changed Lyra. You're not the same young elf in hiding that first came to Laketown."

The Bard hugged her again and then she showed him out. She put the Arkenstone in her coat pocket. Then she went back to supervise the moving of the gold.

"Princess Lyra!" said Ori running up to her, "Lord Dain requests your presences in the throne room."

Lyra went there right away. Since Dain wasn't crowned king yet he stood in front of the throne.

"Ah, there you are lassie." Said Dain holding a chain in his hand, "This was found hidden under Thorin's shirt. Thought it might be yours."

She took it and looked at it. Tauriel's locket. She opened it and looked at the picture of their mother and father. Lyra felt the tears coming.

"This is actually Tauriel's. My sister." She replied as she felt a lump form in her throat.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"With the Elves of Mirkwood, she was injured and they took her with them to heal her." She replied.

"Since when does that bugger Thranduil care about a daughter of Durin?" Dain asked.

"He doesn't know who she really is, it's for the best we don't tell him." Lyra slipped the locket over her head and left the room as fast as she could.


	18. Chapter 18

_**How's it going readers? Hope you like this next chapter.**_

Chapter eighteen.

Tauriel's eyes flew up and she sat up and screamed "Father!" She was breathing heavy.

"Shh. Lie still." Said Thranduil as he sat next to her bed helping her lay back down.

She almost forgot where she was until she looked around and realized she was back in her room in Mirkwood.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"Almost a day. You are still very weak." said Thranduil as he brought a glass of water to her lips. He felt her head, "You need to rest. It is the only way to get better."

"What damage was done?" Tauriel asked.

"You must stay in bed for several weeks." Thranduil replied.

And with that she fell asleep. All she could dream of was Kili's death every time she closed her eyes, when it wasn't that it was her father being slain. She then woke up, remembering it wasn't so. Her father was alive.

She felt as if she was on fire. She already knew she was getting worse and would probably die. There was one person she wanted to see-side from Lyra of course.

"Legolas!" she called out.

A guard came into the room.

"Where is Legolas? I wish to see him." Tauriel said as she felt the edge of the right side of the bed, where Legolas would normally be when she was injured.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." The guard replied.

"Please, I must see him!" she begged.

The guard left, a while later Thranduil entered. Tauriel was still awake.

"Where is Legolas?"She asked.

Thranduil could not bring himself to tell her that he had not come back with them and that he traveled north. The look in her eyes kept him from doing so for fear it would be the death of her.

"He is busy." He replied.

This confused Tauriel greatly. No matter what he was doing when he heard Tauriel was hurt he would drop whatever he was doing to see her. Was he upset with her? He probably didn't know that Kili was Thorin's sister's son!

"I wish to see him." She tried not to make it sound like she was begging.

Thranduil took her left hand, "He will come when he can."

"I must see him now!" This time she could stop herself from begging.

Thranduil felt her head, his eyes grew wide, "Simgre!"

A guard entered right away, "Yes my King?"

"Bring the Healer, she's gotten worse!" He ordered.

A second after he left another soldier came in.

"My King, an elf wishes to see you. She says she comes from Erebor."

"Lyra!" Tauriel gasped trying to sit up.

"Lie still." Said Thranduil then looking up to the soldier, "Tell her I will be there momentarily."

The soldier bowed and left. Beads of sweat covered Tauriel forehead. It might have been much easier to die, but Kili came when she was in trouble and saved her. His sacrifice shouldn't be in vain, but she wasn't sure she would live to see tomorrow.

Thranduil had a wet cloth to her forehead, she started to breathe heavy. He grew worried, then he started thinking. Who did she know the daughter of Oakenshield?

"Legolas." She moaned with her eyes closed, "Legolas."

He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't.

Finally, the Healer came into the room.

"My King, you must leave as I tend to her." Said the Healer.

"Yes, of course." He replied getting up to leave.

Thranduil went to the throne room, there the daughter of Oakenshield was hold a small chest. She wore a silver dress and gems around her next.

"What brings you to my halls?" he asked sternly.

"I bring tribute." She replied opening the chest, inside were the whitest gems that glowed like stars.

"What right have you to bring these?" he asked knowing that Oakenshield would never had allowed it.

"My father is dead. Hs cousin is to be crowned king of Erebor and I to rule alongside him as Princess." She replied, "And as the daughter of the late king I have the only right."

Thranduil motioned for a guard to come and take it, she gave it to him willingly.

"Why do you wish to heal any old wounds?" he asked, knowing that it was her intension.

"I wish there to not be any more battles such as the Battle of Five Armies. My father may be a dwarf, but my mother was an elf of Mirkwood." Lyra replied.

Thranduil's heart stopped for a moment, "What?"

"Her name was Almirthara." Said Lyra turning to leave.

"Wait," said Thranduil, "One of my elves knew your name when my one of my soldiers told me of your arrival. How does she know you?"

"Tauriel?" she asked. He nodded, "We knew each other once long ago. Is she alright? I heard she was ill."

He thought that even though Legolas was not there, perhaps this elf would help Tauriel.

"Follow me." said Thranduil.

When they reached her door Thranduil knocked. The doctor opened the door.

"She must take it easy, if anything upsets her it could be the death of her. Where for Mirkwoods sake is Legolas?!" the Healer said annoyed.

"We mustn't tell her that he traveled north. It's best not to tell her anything." Thranduil whispered.

The Healer left the room and Thranduil let Lyra enter first and then shut the door behind them.

"Lyra!" Tauriel cried.

Lyra ran to her side, "Yes, I'm here."

Thranduil left for a moment. Lyra looked behind her, she was about to tell Tauriel of their father's death, but after the doctor saying not to upset her she decided against it.

"What are you wearing?" Tauriel asked.

"A dress fit for a princess." Lyra replied holding a wet cloth to her head, "What happened?"

"Bolg, I fought him, but got injured. The Kili came and tried to save me, then when Bolg was about to stab him I tried to stop him, but he had threw me against a rock." Tauriel replied sadly, "I watched as he ran Kili through. Bolg came after me next and then we both tumbled down the cliff and…well, Elvish healing can only take someone so far."

"You're going to live, Tauriel. I refuse to let you die!" said Lyra.

"When is Fili and Kili's funeral?" she asked, "I saw Fili dead on the ground before I went looking for Kili."

"Tomorrow, the day after if work gets slow." Lyra wiped the sweat from Tauriel's brow.

Lyra told Tauriel of all that was being down at Erebor, careful not to reveal their father's death. Then she pulled out a gold chain and slipped it over Tauriel's head.

Tauriel looked at it, it was her locket! She opened it and looked at the picture of their mother and father.

"I must be there for when they bury Fili and Kili!" Tauriel insisted.

"Sleep sister. Rest easy and with luck you should be well." Lyra replied.

"I cannot. Nightmare have been haunting me!" Tauriel replied.

"Keep the locket with you, perhaps it will fight off any nightmares." Said Lyra standing, "I must leave now. Once you are well, ride to Erebor."

She then left the room and Thranduil entered after informing her that a soldier would see her out.

Tauriel did not feel like speaking with Thranduil at the moment, she fell asleep in hopes that Lyra was right.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Sorry it's been awhile. I've had a cold and school work so yeah...I've been busy.**_

Chapter nineteen.

"Please Dain, we must hold it off!" Lyra begged pulling her coat closer. She put it back on when she returned, "Tauriel would kill herself if she missed it."

"You didn't tell her about it did you?" he asked.

"She saw Fili after he dead when she went to help Kili, she watched him die. Father's death is the only one she doesn't know about." Lyra replied.

"I'm sure we could make some arrangement." Said Balin.

"Unless you can somehow magically bring her here we cannot." Said Dain.

Lyra left the room and went to find Thor, he was in the old room with maps. Bilbo looked over some old maps and tried to perk Thor up, but he wouldn't.

"Hello Bilbo." Said Lyra, she hadn't seen him since he left to-apparently-give the Arkenstone to Bard.

"Hello Lyra." He said sadly, he was just as upset, "Where have you been?"

"To Mirkwood, bringing tribute to King Thranduil."

"Even after he was going to use you to get to Thorin?" he asked.

Lyra laughed, "Yes, I do not want history to repeat itself."

"Why did they have to go?" asked Thor sniffling.

"They wanted to protect our home." Lyra tried to explain.

"I don't care! They should be here!" Thor stomped his foot.

"I know, they should." Lyra replied softly.

"What was Bard doing here a while ago?" Bilbo asked.

"He wanted to give me this." She pulled out the Arkenstone and showed to Bilbo, even though he had already seen it, "Did the dwarves take to gold to him yet?"

"Yes, they took it out while you were gone." Bilbo replied.

"You're planning on leaving before the funeral aren't you?"

"How-how did you know?" he asked.

"I could see the guilty look on your face." she replied, "I understand."

Bilbo was silent after that. Then Lyra got an idea and left the room as fast as her feet could carry her. Thor tried to keep up.

"Where are we going?" Thor asked.

"Dain, I have an idea." She replied.

"Can we do it?" she asked him.

"I think I can spare some dwarves to do it. With luck it should be done in time." Said Dain.

Lyra pulled out the cloth and took it off to reveal the Arkenstone. She handed it to Dain.

"Bard returned it." she informed.

Dain looked behind him at the throne, the spot where it was had been broken. He handed it back to her.

"Keep it for a while lassie. When the throne is restored to its former glory then we shall put it back." Dain replied.

She wrapped it in the cloth and then put it back in the pocket of her coat.

Thor took her hand and they went to see how the moving of the gold was going. She didn't mind keeping an eye on things, it made her feel important.

"Will I ever feel like I belong?" asked Thor in a small voice.

"Thor, I'm and Elf among Dwarves. I still don't feel like I belong, I'm sure we both will feel like we belong before you know it!" Lyra insisted.

"Maybe if I changed my name a bit it would help." Thor suggested, "You don't have to change your name."

"Let me guess, you want to change it to Fili?" she asked.

"No."

"Kili?"

"No."

"Then what?" she asked.

"Thorin, that way I'd still have some of my name but feel like I belong." Said Thor.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Lyra asked.

"Your family is my family now, remember?" Thor looked at her with wide eyes.

She smiled, "Yes. If this is what you want then we shall talk to Dain so everyone knows."

"Okay." Thor replied, "I want to tell Dain now!"


	20. Chapter 20

_**Get ready for the heart break!**_

Chapter twenty.

Tauriel got a little better, but it still hurt for her to move at all. Her fever had gone down and she stopped having nightmares and moaning in her sleep.

However, she threatened to try and get out of bed if she didn't see Legolas. No one did anything though. Thranduil had become too busy to see her and would get news on how she was doing from the Healer.

At one point when she woke up after falling asleep she found herself reaching for a hand on the right side of her bed, but it wasn't there. Legolas would normally be there and she would grab his hand and squeeze it so he'd know she was okay.

When she opened her eyes she saw Thranduil sitting in a chair on the other side of the room reading something, her journal! The one she wrote about things that had happened and some pages where she wrote her mother and father's name so Lyra and Lain would never forget.

She tried to sit up, but daggers stabbed her. She fell back down.

"I must congratulate you," said Thranduil not even turned around as he licked his thumb and turned the page, "not many can keep a secret such as this, yet you've kept it for many years."

"Where did you get that?" she asked.

"I found in hiding behind three books on your shelf." He replied standing, "I felt like reading and then when I pulled on book down I found it hiding and pulled it out."

"You had no right!" Tauriel tried to sit up, she ignored the daggered and used what strength she had to try and get her journal back.

She managed to sit up but as she went down again Thranduil put a hand behind her back and helped ease her down.

"I was very fond of what was written here," He said turning to the page. "'I am afraid to trust anyone. Since I came to Mirkwood I feel as if I am an outsider-which I am. I went off by myself to train. I was able to think for a while. The king is stern, but he must be a good one to have the peoples' respect. For my first meal here I was asked to sit at the head of the table with the king and his son Legolas.' I remembered that day. I saw you train and you seemed like what was going on around you didn't bother you.

"The most interesting on is this, 'This day marks the day I lost my mother, when everything changed. I lost my father and mother that day. I had to step up and do what I had to do to protect and feed my brother and sister. I sat at dinner, barely touching my food. Soon enough I couldn't take it, the harps and flutes the happy small talk. I tried not to lose my temper, but I slammed my fist on my plate and it shattered.

"'I left the room and ran for the outdoors, I longed for air. I soon ran to a part where there were two smooth rocks for sitting on and in between a little waterfall that down the stream joined the river. I sat there and tried to keep from feeling anything, but instead I cried, I felt so alone. No family to truly call my own.

"'Legolas soon found me and we talked. I told him how my family was taken from me and that the happiness of the room was too much for me to bear. Sometimes I feel that Legolas was the only person I could count on, I had been so used to caring for people that I forgot what it was like to have people caring for _me_.

"'Then as the moon grew in the sky he told me how I was safe and would never have to worry about losing anyone. He promised me I would never lose him. He stood and held out his hand, I took it.'"

Luckily, she knew a little of the Dwarvish writing so she wrote of how he kissed her cheek in that so-in case anyone did find it-no one could read it.

"Are you going to kill me? Throw me out and leave me to die?" Tauriel asked.

Thranduil sat down on the edge of her bed, "Why would I do that?"

"I am the eldest daughter of Thorin Oakenshield." She replied.

"That may be so, but you have been like a daughter to me longer than you were _his_ daughter. Never have I seen courage such as yours. Legolas wasn't even that skilled at the age you were when I found you." Thranduil replied, "Legolas traveled north. He said he could not return."

"He is upset with me, he has it all wrong." She said under her breath.

"About what?" Thranduil arched an eyebrow.

"The dwarf was my father's sister's son. He was my cousins. My family." Tauriel replied, "It was easier not to say the truth because it would have revealed who I was."

"The elf-Lyra, she told you of the funeral?"

"Yes, sadly I cannot go in this state. I cannot say a last goodbye to Fili and Kili." She replied sadly as she felt for the hand that should have been on her right side.

"And what of Oakenshield?" Thranduil asked.

"What of him? He is in Erebor with Lyra." Tauriel replied innocently.

Thranduil looked at her the same way he did when Kili had died.

"Tauriel, Oakenshield died in battle." Said Thranduil.

Tauriel thought of her dream. She saw her father fighting Azog alone and Azog had beheaded him like he did with Tauriel's great-grandfather. Before he did though, Thorin looked at Tauriel and whispered her name.

"No, no I saw him before I set out to find Kili! He is alive!" she insisted.

"Lyra told me herself, he fell in battle. Now she has taken it upon herself to bring Erebor back to its former glory." Thranduil told her.

Tauriel couldn't breathe. She thought of how she found her father fighting orcs single handedly and then how she ran to join him. They fought side by side, as father and daughter. She felt as if he was so close to her she could reach out to him, but he wasn't really there-even though he felt close.

She suddenly wished she had her knives with her. They were the last gift her father ever gave her, she had forgotten them on that day at school, and she regretted it for so long.

Her lips quivered, tears slowly slid down her cheek as she grasped the locket around her neck. First a friend who promised she would never lose him left, and now that she finds the father she lost, she lost forever. Her heart began to ache and she couldn't stop the pain.

Tauriel sobbed and screamed. She clawed at her sheets. Thranduil could bear to see her in such as state. He held her as she cried, she embraced him without question. She should have been lying down and not sitting up at all, but she was in greater pain and didn't feel any pain on her back.

"Shh, you are safe." Thranduil tried to comfort her.

"I care not for all the gold and jewels in Erebor! I care only for the family that has been taken from me!" she sobbed, "I am never safe! Everyone I love is taken from me. I myself may be safe, but my heart will never be so!"

Thranduil held her in his arms as she sobbed as if she was being tortured until she soon fell asleep. He took her locket off and opened it, almost dropping it. He hadn't seen her in several years. It was incredible how life like it looked.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty one.

"Lyra, wake up!" said a small voice, "Someone is here to see you."

"Thor-"

"Thorin!" he corrected.

"Thorin, could not Dain handle it?" she asked half asleep.

"He asks for you. It's about your sister." Thorin replied.

Lyra shot up out of bed, she began to fear the worst. She was still in her nightgown, but she threw on her bloodstained coat and buttoned it up. Then Thorin took her hand and they waked out of her room.

It was clearly before day break. The day of the funeral…

"Where is he?" she didn't need to ask _whom_ it was, she knew.

"Outside the mountain, I think he's hiding from the guards." Thorin replied.

"And how is it at this time of day you've been outside?" Lyra asked in the way a mother would.

"Bilbo Boggins saw him from the gate and went to talk to him, then he came back inside found me when I was getting something to drink-I couldn't sleep-and told me to get you." Thorin explained.

She smiled and hurried to the gate and then snuck out with Thorin's small hand still holding hers.

"He said to meet him up there." He said pointing to Ravenhill.

Lyra took a deep breath and went with Thorin. She dared not to climb up to the top since it was where her father fell.

She reached the frozen river where-she was told by Balin-her father died. She hurried off it and into the ruins. Lyra soon found Thranduil at the spot where Kili was found.

"Is she…" she couldn't finish.

"No," he said turning around, "she is still alive, but I fear if she misses the burial of Oakenshield and his sister's sons it will be the death of her."

"I have a plan, but the dwarves are still working on it. None of them have rested a moment." Lyra replied, "They are making a chair of gold with wheels."

"Will they finish it in time?" Thranduil asked.

Lyra smiled, "As my father once said, 'Never underestimate dwarves'."

She could tell he was worried for Tauriel.

"You care about her don't you?" she asked.

"She has been like a daughter to me for several years. I have never seen her in so much pain before." He replied.

"I can help the dwarves finish it! I'm strong!" said Thorin letting go of her hand.

"I'm not sure." Lyra replied smiling.

"Fili and Kili wouldn't let me help them fight and now their dead! If I don't help with this then so may Tauriel!" Thorin always looked as if Azog had ripped out his heart when he said her cousins' names.

"That wasn't your fault." She reminded him.

"Please." He begged.

"Okay, but we must return or we will not finish it." Lyra said as he took her hand again, "That and Dain will have the entire army searching for us."

"Farewell, Lyra." Thranduil bowed slightly.

She did the same and then they parted ways. Lyra and Thorin made it back before anyone noticed and then she went back to bed, feeling very tired.

"I wanna fly! I wanna fly!" Lyra cried with joy as her father held Lain high in the air and then would toss him and he would fly for a moment.

"Okay, Lyra." Thorin set Lain in his chair and then picked Lyra up, "Are you ready?"

"Yes! I wanna fly!" she replied.

He held her high and then tossed her, she became weightless and screamed and when Thorin caught her she burst into giggles.

"Again Papa! Again!" she cried, "No dwoppy (Droppy)!"

"I won't drop you Lyra, I promise." He replied doing it again.

Suddenly, she was in the woods on a cheerful day. She sat on a picnic blanket with her family. Tauriel was writing in her journal, Lain was stuffing his face and made funny chipmunk faces to try and make their father laugh.

"What a beautiful day!" her mother exclaimed.

"I told you this was a good idea." Said her father with a grin.

"Yes, and you said taking Lain hunting was a good idea." She reminded him of an incident.

"That was once. I thought he was ready." As her father tried to defend himself, Lyra saw an orange and black butterfly fly by. She got up and followed it.

"Wait for me!" she cried with joy as she chased the butterfly.

Soon, she came to a creek. She didn't want to cross it to find the butterfly so she decided to go back, the problem was that she didn't know how to get back.

"Papa! Papa! I'm lost!" she cried.

Suddenly, she saw a wolf bigger than her father on the other side of the creek growling. She slowly backed up. And then ran, it chased her.

"Papa!" she screamed.

The wolf jumped on her and growled. She screamed and grabbed a sharp stick she found nearby and stabbed it. Then she wiggled free and started running again, but the wolf was still chasing her. She soon found an opening in a tree big enough for her to crawl deep into. Lyra crawled in and the wolf scratched the tree and wouldn't stop, it was late afternoon. Then someone fought the wolf and stabbed it. It howled and then it died.

Lyra didn't dare move, she stayed in the tree and didn't even try to breathe.

"Lyra!" a strong but frightened voice called, "Lyra!"

She whimpered, but he couldn't hear her.

"Lyra. Sweetie, where are you?" he called in a softer tone.

"Papa!" she moaned.

He went over to the tree and looked inside and smiled. He pulled her out and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Why didn't it die when I stabbed it?" she asked shivering and in tears.

He looked where the stick was sticking out of the beast's stomach. He then laughed.

"You're a strong little one, but never wander way. I may not be there to help you or find you." He held her out so he could looked her in the eyes.

"But you'w (You're) my papa, you'll always find me." she insisted.

"Not always." He replied as he carried her home. She fell asleep with her head on his shoulder.

She could smell the smell of fresh baked bread and knew they were home. She faintly heard her mother panic and her father try to calm her down. Then he took her up stairs to her, Lain, and Tauriel's bedroom. He put her to bed and tucked her in.

"Sing Papa." She moaned in her sleep. He sang deep and softly.

"Lyra, wake up!" said Bofur shaking her shoulder.

When she woke up her father was still singing from somewhere. Like he was in the room. The memory of his face was fresh in her mind.

"You slept late." Said Bofur.

She groaned, "Sometimes I wish I didn't have to wake up."

Before Bofur said anything she said she needed to get ready. He left right away and she washed her face. When she suddenly couldn't hear her father's voice she almost screamed. Tears fell as she combed her hair and put some of it into braids. She wore a dark blue dress-a color she loved on her father-and the white gems. As she walked down the halls her dress flowed. The dwarves got out of her way and would watch her as she walked to the throne room.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty two.

Tauriel hated waking up. As soon as she did she remembered what happened. Her father was dead. Lyra was the only family she now had. She fell asleep late afternoon and it was now morning.

She reached for her locket, but she found that she was no longer wearing it! She panicked and looked for around her nightstand.

Then the door opened, it was Thranduil.

"Where is my locket?" she asked.

He held it up, "I suppose your mother never talked about her past."

"Yes." She replied, suspicious, "What do you know of her."

"We were once friends-your mother and I. We were as close as you and Legolas were." She hated it how he reminded her how Legolas left, "Then I never saw her as much and she seemed to disappear. Soon enough she disappeared for weeks and her brother wouldn't tell me what he knew. I guess it is clear where she was."

He put the locket around her neck as a servant brought in some soup.

"I am not hungry." Tauriel looked away.

"Tauriel, you have barely eaten anything." Thranduil reminded her.

"I cannot." She said shaking her head.

"You and I both know what Legolas would say." He said holding her hand.

"Starving myself will not do anything to get me out of bed faster." Tauriel replied, she could hear him saying it.

She then ate and said nothing for a while. She thought of her family, no mother and no father. Tauriel didn't feel bad for herself at that moment, she felt sad because her brother and parents were gone. She could get by and do just fine on her own, but she never said all the things she held back in her heart when she found her father. She refused to speak to him, she was angry and blamed him for Lain's death.

No matter what Thranduil said to try and get her to say something she just stared off. For hours he begged her to say something, but she let tears slowly fall and the lump in her throat stay.

A soldier then came in, "My Lord, they are here."

Thranduil bowed his head slightly and the soldier left but left the door opened.

"Lyra had the dwarves make something for you." He simply said.

She turned and looked at him. He slipped one arm under her knees and another under her back. She had her arms around his neck and he carried her out.

When they reached the gate, there was a wagon with four strong looking ponies pulling it across the bridge. A golden chair with wheels was in the wagon and strapped down. Lyra stood by it, smiling.

Thranduil carried Tauriel across the bridge and then set her in the chair in the wagon.

"I have requested that they bring you back so that you may heal." he informed her.

She nodded, but said nothing. She feared if she said one word it would end in tears.

Lyra went and sat in the front with the dwarf who said he didn't need an Elf's help during the battle. The wagon then started moving and she watched and Thranduil seemed to shrink away.

A friend of Lyra's- a dwarf named Brenor-pushed Tauriel's chair for her. There was a procession through Erebor. Dain was in the very front and Lyra, Tauriel, and little Thorin followed. Dis and Yarabella would have been between Thorin and Fili, but they had not made it yet. They went down into the deepest part of Erebor where the kings of old were buried. Twelves dwarves total carried Thorin and his nephews, only the bravest dwarves of course.

Thorin held Orcrist to his chest, Fili had one of his sword in his-as well as every dagger he keeps hidden, and Kili had the sword he had when he tried to save Tauriel, no one took the stone out of his hand.

Most of the dwarves left, but Tauriel insisted on staying longer. When she first saw her father dead it was hard to believe it was him. He looked the way he was when he was with her and her brother and sister.

"Were you there when died?" she asked Lyra.

"I saw him just before the battle. The joy on his face was indescribable." She replied.

"He died alone, no one was there for him." Tauriel said under her breath.

"Bilbo was with him, he wasn't alone. He had a friend." Lyra put a hand on her sister's arm.

"If I had stayed and helped him fight he might still be with us. Kili wouldn't have come to find me and help me. They both would have lived, as for Fili I do not know what could have been done different." Tauriel started laying blame on herself.

"Tauriel, it does no one any good to blame themselves." Lyra tried to cheer her up.

"What did father say before he died?"

"I don't know. Bilbo hadn't said a word of anything father said." Said Lyra.

"We must ask him, I must know!" Tauriel insisted.

"He slipped away early this morning, he's gone with Gandalf." Lyra looked down and the floor.

Tauriel sighed, "We may never know then."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter twenty three.

Three months later.

"Lyra! They're here!" said Dori out of breath.

Lyra jumped up from her desk and smiled. She had been waiting months to see her father's sister. Many of the dwarves had traveled to Erebor, back to their home. Some had never been to Erebor and wanted to come to start a new life there.

Dale had been fixed and looked as amazing as it had been. Bard was made king of Dale and Lyra would visit him and his family often. He was still like family to her.

The gates were made strong. Lyra supervised everything, the moving of the gold, the rebuilding of the gates, and the burying of the burned bodies all over Erebor. She made sure it was all done. Dain was made king and she the princess. Lyra became his chief adviser.

After the funeral, Tauriel told Lyra how she made no plans to return to Erebor once she was well again.

"But Tauriel, all the stories father told! He promised us this would be our home!" Lyra reminded her.

"You belong here Lyra, you know people and you care about Erebor as father would have. I am an Elvin Warrior, I fight and protect." She replied, "King Thranduil has offered me pardon so I can return. I can remain Captain of the Guard and teach younger Elves."

"This is what your heart is telling you to do?" Lyra asked.

Tauriel nodded, "I must follow my own path."

"What else will you do when you are in Mirkwood?"

Tauriel smiled and took her sister's hand, "I will fly on our father's wings."

Lyra had not seen Tauriel since then, Dwalin and Brenor brought her back to Mirkwood. Lyra only had Thorin as her family from that point on. Dain was kind to her, but Thorin felt the most like family. Everyone in Erebor didn't mind how Thor changed his name to Thorin. He then revealed to Lyra that he wished to be strong and brave, he thought if his name was that of someone he knew was strong and brave he would be the same. He didn't remember his own father's name, so he took Lyra's father's name.

She went to the top of the gates and looked out, the snow was melting, and spring was on its way. She looked out to Dale and saw happiness in it.

A caravan of Dwarves were coming from the south. As they got closer the men opened the gates. Thorin ran up to her side.

"Are they here?" he said jumping up and down excitedly, no longer the helpless little child she found next to his mother's body.

"Aye, and about time too." Said Dain coming up to join them.

"I have not seen my aunt since I was a small child." Lyra said smiling.

When all the dwarves entered Dain went to greet them. Lyra was looking for Dis and Yarabella. Many of the dwarves scoffed at the sight of her, one even bumped into her and knocked her to the ground.

"Hey! You can't do that to your princess!" Thorin shouted at the dwarf.

"Ha! The day an Elf is the Princess of Erebor is the day I kiss an orc!" the dwarf laughed.

Lyra got back up and Thorin stayed at her side. She just shook her head.

"Some may not like it, but those of my kin respect me." she said to Thorin.

"It still wasn't nice." He grumbled.

She smiled, "You're right, it wasn't."

"So who is your Aunt Dis?" Thorin asked.

"He is my father's sister, and Fili and Kili's mother." She replied as she tried to find her.

"Fili and Kili's mother?!" Thorin gasped.

"Yes?" said a female dwarf walking up to them with another young dwarf girl beside her.

The female dwarf had dark hair liked Kili's and a beard in two braids, her eyes were a bright green. Her hair was adorned with hair pieces made to look like Lilac. The dwarf beside her had golden yellow hair with blue jewels in it. Her eyes were a dark brown, she had a small scruffy beard.

"You are Fili and Kili's mother?" asked Lyra.

She nodded.

"I am Lyra, daughter of Thorin." She replied.

Dis's eyes grew wide and tears came as she hugged her.

"We thought you were dead!" she gasped.

"Well, I survived with the help of Tauriel." Lyra said letting go of Dis.

"Tauriel! Is she here as well?" Dis asked.

"I'm afraid not, she felt it wasn't the place for her. It is bad enough with one Elf living in these halls." Lyra said smiling.

Dis laughed, "And your brother?"

"Taken by orcs when we were small." Lyra replied.

Dis turned to Yarabella, "Yarabella, this is your cousin Lyra. Lyra, this is Yarabella."

"Pleasure to meet you." Said Lyra.

"Like wise." Said Yarabella, "You may call me Bella. My brother did."

"I liked them." Said Thorin piping up, "They were nice. I miss them."

"Aunt Dis, this is Thorin. His mother was killed by Smaug and he lost his father when he was very young." Lyra explained.

"I am so sorry." She said to Thorin.

"I'm sorry too. I wish I had a brother. Would we be like Fili and Kili if I did have one?" Thorin asked.

"It would depend on the kind of brother he was." Lyra replied.

"Where are they?" Dis asked.

"I shall show you." Said Lyra leading the way.

They went deep into the mountain to the halls of the great kings of old. There they found Thorin, Fili and Kili in a line. Thorin was between the two of them. The stone carving on top of the stone boxes their coffins were in. The carvings looked very life like. Lyra made sure they did.

Dis went to each coffin and would shed a tear on each one. Bella was equally as sad.

"Uncle Thorin was so brave." She commented, "I twisted my ankle when I was small and I couldn't get home. Thorin found me at the same time a mountain lion did and after he slayed the beast he carried me home."

Lyra didn't know any great tells of her father and felt that the same simple stories were ones that were not ones worth singing of. But since it was her aunt and cousin she shared her fondest memory.

"When Kili and I were hurt and father carried us I felt as if his courage was pouring into me. I felt strong even though I was so small." Lyra said, "When he brought Fili and Kili home and the rest of us went home and held me as mother tended to my wounds. Then, as he rocked me in mother's chair, he promised we could do whatever I wanted when he returned from his hunting trip. I said I wanted to build a snowman, he promised we would…"

She stopped. She remembered how before Tauriel left, Tauriel stayed in her chair and made little snowballs and Lyra rolled them into bigger ones. They made three, to represent Thorin, Fili and Kili. They stood all winter and-no matter how much sun there was-they stayed there. They didn't start melting until two days before, but they still stood.

For while they said nothing, then Lyra showed them to their courters. Then she walked through Erebor.

"Someone get this Elvin Filth out of here!" snapped the dwarf who knocked her over.

Two other dwarves beside him. Suddenly, she felt her father's courage-as well as anger-inside her. She went up to the dwarf and gave him a stone-hard glare.

"You dare to insult a daughter of Thorin Oakenshield?!" she snapped, "I will not hear such talk in these halls!"

"How can you be a daughter of Oakenshield? You're an Elf!" said a dwarf from far off.

The dwarf who insulted her first was silent and terrified. He must have thought when she glared at him that she looked like her father.

"Yeah!" other cried.

A riot had started, little Thorin took her hand and pulled it. She nodded and they tried to run out, but a lot of the dwarves would trip her and smack her.

"ENOUGH! THE LOT A YA!" Dain shouted as he pulled several dwarves of her, "My cousin fell in love with an Elf and married her! This Elf is his child!"

Lyra pushed herself up and left as Dain talked with the dwarves. Thorin tried to follow her.

"No, Thorin. You stay here." Said Lyra.

He looked as if he had just been betrayed, never had she told Thorin not to follow her.

"I need to think. I must be alone." then she went away.

Truth be told, she didn't want Thorin to see her cry. She cried as she ran off, she had the dwarves fix the door on the side of the mountain that Smaug destroyed, that became her hide out.

No one ever went by the door of those halls, so she left the door open. She went out there and did nothing. She tried to ignore the pain for so long and to fake a smile that she for once let the tears flow.

The chill of the last winter wind blew on her shoulders. She could smell the cold air mixed with early spring.

Suddenly, as if a voice whispered in her ear, she thought of the letter her father gave her before he died.

She got up and ran straight to her room and looked through some papers on her desk. Finally, she found it and opened it. After she read it her eyes grew wide. She quickly ran to Balin and showed him the letter.

"We must have a meeting with Dain about this." Balin advised.

Once all the new dwarves were settled, Dain talked with Balin and Lyra in the throne room. After he read the letter he handed it back to Lyra.

"If the heir to Erebor is still alive and in the Shire, then we must bring him back right away, he is my cousin's son." Dain replied, "If he is brought back and really is the son of Oakenshield, then I will gladly abdicate from the throne."

"Should we send an army?" asked Brenor, who joined the meeting.

"He is my brother, not some runaway criminal!" Lyra replied in disgust.

"Princess Lyra is right," said Balin, "Perhaps someone he may know or trust."

"I am needed here, but there is one other person he probably remembers and would gladly trust his life to." Lyra replied as her mind traveled to the forest.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter twenty four.

About two months later.

It was another slow day at the Took bakery. Lain had just sold Lobelia Sackville-Baggins some dinner rolls, when he lived with her and her husband and son he would always make the dinner rolls since she was hopeless at cooking anything bread related.

"Have a lovely day!" Lain said cheerfully before Lobelia left.

"Humph!" she replied bitterly.

"What has her in a mood?" asked his brother-in-law Finch.

"You know it's me." Lain replied.

"Come on Lain! It can't all be you." Said Finch before leaving to the back room.

After Lain was kidnapped by orcs, an army of Men from Gondor slaughtered them all and Lain escaped. He walked for what seemed like years-he was practically a baby-until he came to the town of Bree. After asking an Innkeeper where he might find a safe place to call home he was given directions to the Shire and then was sent to Hobbiton.

Lobelia adopted him in hopes of being the most likable person in Hobbiton, and to also gain respect from Mr. Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo was fond of Lain, even more so after his adventures. However, that did not affect how he felt Lobelia. She drove him mad! So after he adopted Frodo and claimed him his heir, Lobelia refused to have anything to do with Lain anymore. It was fine though since at that time he was living on his own and was about to take Cornflower Took (Pippin's father's older brother's daughter) to be his wife.

Lain helped Finch close up for the day and then walked to Bag-End. He had a lot on his mind and began to think he was cracking-desiring to go on an adventure.

Lain had grown much from the young Dwarf he was before. He wore clothes that make him look more like a hobbit than a dwarf. He did-however-go on a trip to Bree to buy some new boots when needed (He tried walking without shoes and got stung by a bee on the foot twice) and grow out a beard he had braided into three small braids. His black hair had grown past his shoulder blades and he wondered-everyday-if he looked like his father.

His sister would write their parents' names into the dirt or in her journal so him and his sister Lyra would remember and would show them the picture of each of them inside her locket. The sad thing was, Lain remembered their names, but not their faces so he did not know if he looked like his father or not.

When he reached Bag-End he knocked on the door. Bilbo answered and stared at Lain as if he saw a ghost.

"Thorin." He said so quiet you could barely hear him.

"No, Lain." Lain replied. He never told anyone who is father was, and he did not know his father's fate. He did not even know that Thorin led the quest, he only heard what other people repeated since he was so busy working, he rarely saw Bilbo.

"Ah, yes, Lain! Good to see you." Said Bilbo letting him in, "Care for some tea?"

"No thank you I'm here on a short visit. I needed your advice." Lain replied as Frodo came running through chasing Merry Brandybuck.

"His parents had important things to attend to and asked me to watch Merry for them." Bilbo explained sitting in one of the chairs by the fire, "How can I help you?"

"I must return to my kin. They are living within the halls of Erebor." Said Lain as he sat down in the other chair, "I have always loved the peace of the Shire, but something is telling me to return! I have sisters, and if they are still alive they would have gone to Erebor!"

"Lain, Cornflower is eight months pregnant. I don't doubt that she will want to leave right away-she's always been one that could never be tied down, but Milos Took will forbid it!" Bilbo reminded him.

"This is the problem, something won't let me sleep at night, telling me to go. Then I think of the risks and I cannot do it." Lain replied, "But I plan on going and never returning unless Cornflower wishes to see her father and brother again."

"My advice to you is to talk to Cornflower and figure something out." Said Bilbo.

Lain nodded and got up to leave. Merry and Frodo ran past with wooden toy swords, pretending to be off on an adventure like Bilbo.

Bilbo opened the door for Lain and then Lain made his way back home as the sun set. He had always loved the Shire and still loved it in a way, but he was getting to be that age where peace and quiet were growing old. He remembered right before Bilbo left on his adventure, when Lain was the same age as Kili.

Otho Sackville Baggins had returned home to tell his wife about how he saw dwarves at Bag-End! Lain was sure Lobelia would faint then and there. Lotho never like Bilbo and started insulting him. Lain left and decided to see for himself.

When he reached there he saw shadows dancing inside and heard singing.

"Bilbo must not be pleased," Lain said to himself, "He never liked unexpected visitors. Unknown visitors at that!"

He was about to head back towards the home of Otho and Lobelia, but he was stopped when a dwarf came up to him and stared at him for a moment.

"I have no memory of you coming on the quest." He said in a deep voice, "What is your name?"

"Lain," he replied sort of sheepish. "I am not here for any quest, I heard of other dwarves in Hobbiton and I had to see for myself."

The dwarf examined him for a moment. Lain realized he must not have looked like a normal dwarf, but what could he say? He was-after all-somewhat raised by hobbits.

"How is it a dwarf came to live with Halflings?" he asked.

"When I was a small dwarf my village was attacked by orcs and my sisters and I fled. We made our way for Mirkwood when orcs attacked us and took me away." Lain replied, "I was five."

"In dwarf years?" the dwarf asked. Lain nodded, "You've traveled all this way on your own? At such a young age?"

"Yes." Lain replied.

"What was your father's name and how is it he hasn't found you?"

"My father's name is-or was, I do not know his fate-Thorin Oakenshield. My mother was Almirthara and she was killed in the attack." Lain wished he could remember his father's face, "The only answer I have to why my father has not found me is that he thinks my sisters and I are dead, or he has found my sisters and they told him of the orc attack. No one has been known to be kidnapped by orcs and survive."

"Very true." The dwarf said as he tried not to look amazed for some reason, "Perhaps you might know where I may find the house of a Mr. Bilbo Baggins?"

"This house right here." Said Lain pointing, "I hope Mr. Baggins hasn't fainted yet. His not one for visitors who he doesn't know."

"Not one for adventures?"

"He is part Took, and the Tooks are greatly known for going on adventures, but he hasn't had a chance to discover the Took in him, if you know what I mean." Lain replied, "I should return home-or where I live at the moment anyway."

"Well then, Good Night to you Lain, son of Thorin. May the line of Durin guide you in anything that should come your way." Said the dwarf bowing slightly.

Lain did the same and started off.

"Lain!" the dwarf called as if sounding desperate.

Lain turned and saw how he was reluctant in saying something. This dwarf was very strange, or maybe it was the way dwarves normally act. Lain did not know.

"Let me give you the advice only a dwarf could give you, if something tells you to go then go. Stay only if something tells you to stay, not if someone tells you to stay." He advised.

"Thank you sir, I shall remember." Said Lain terribly confused.

Only now did he understand what the dwarf tried to tell him.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter twenty five.

"I'm home!" Lain called when he returned to his wife.

She came out from the kitchen and hugged him, "I was beginning to get worried."

"You are such a liar!" he teased.

"Well I'm still new at this whole wife thing! What else am I supposed to say?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"I don't know, I've never been a wife." He laughed.

She punched his arm, "Where were you though?"

"To see Bilbo." He replied hanging up his jacket.

"I knew there was a reason you have not been sleeping!" she said as if she discovered mushrooms, "You are beginning to crack Lain! Please say you are!"

She sounded like an excited child. They walked into the living room and he sat in on chair while she sat in the other.

"Cornflower, I know how you want to leave-as do I disparately, but we must be realistic." Lain gazed at his wife.

Her brown hair draped over her shoulders and her sapphire blue eyes twinkling in the setting sun coming from the window. She was closer to time and grew more tired each day, mostly with people coming to see how she is and making small talk and sharing the latest gossip.

"I should die if I stay here another moment! When the baby comes, people will be knocking our door down to see it and I shall never get a moment's peace!" Cornflower threw her hands in the air, "Lain, I know you are just thinking of my health and what would be best for me, but what's best for me that _I_ know is to leave!"

"You don't even know where I was thinking of going to." He pointed out.

"I know you, before you asked me for my hand there have been no secrets between us. You plan to go to the Erebor, the home of you forefathers." Cornflower replied.

"Yes, but-"

"If you bring up how my father will never allow it then I shall scream! He supported me when I journeyed to Rivendell, remember? He likes a good adventure."

Lain smiled, "How did I get so lucky to find you?"

"You fell out of a tree." She reminded him as she laughed, "I'm glad I found someone who doesn't want me to be a little housewife!"

Lain was a teen in dwarf years when he met her. He had climbed on of the highest trees in Hobbiton because Lotho dared him to. He made it to the top and on his way down he fell and hit his head.

"Are you okay?" he heard a small voice say.

He opened his eyes and saw a bright adventurous smile and eyes to go with it.

"Did you climb all the way to the top?" she asked as she gave him a hand.

"Yes." He said like it was normal.

"No hobbit has been able to climb that! Then again, you're not a hobbit are you?" she asked.

"I'm a dwarf." He replied.

"I can't believe it!" said Lotho annoyed, "You actually climbed that?!"

"I get your rolls for dinner!" said Lain with a boyish smile on his face.

"Well hello Cornflower." Lotho used the tone of voice he used when trying to impress a girl.

"Hello Lotho." Said Cornflower not at all enchanted. She turned to Lain, "So what's your name?"

"I'm Lain, I live with Lotho and his family." Lain replied.

"You poor soul!" she said filled with pity and then laughed, Lotho was not at all amused.

Since then, the two of them meet in the woods every day and went exploring. She always talked about how she dreamed of leaving the Shire and going far off, but her father-as much as he loved adventures-would not let her go until she was of age.

Lain was brought back to the present when he heard a knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Cornflower wondered aloud.

Lain went to the door and opened it. The first thing he saw was a green dress, then the person bent down to reveal that it was an elf. She looked familiar, Lain thought it could have been his mother, but remembered that she was dead. It meant only one thing.

"Hello Tauriel." He greeted.

She smiled, "Hello Lain."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter twenty six.

He let her in and Cornflower came to the door.

"You were expecting company and didn't tell me?" she said a little annoyed since she was wearing an apron that was covered in flour-even though she normally didn't care about what other hobbits though, Elves were another matter.

"Actually no." Lain replied, "What brings you to Hobbiton, Tauriel?"

"Mushrooms." She replied annoyed, "I came for you brother."

They went into the living room and after Lain introduced Cornflower to Tauriel, Cornflower went into the kitchen to fix up some tea.

"Father is dead, Lain. As is our cousins Fili and Kili." Tauriel informed him.

Lain took a moment to take it in, all those years of dreaming of his father walking into Hobbiton looking for him to take him home. That would never happen.

"How is it you knew where to find me after all these years?" Lain asked with no emotion in his voice.

"Father, he found you first." She replied pulling something out of her pack, "Lyra-yes she is alive-came to Mirkwood one day with this letter Father gave to her before he died in battle."

He took the letter from her and read it.

 _Dearest Lyra,_

 _I have seen your brother Lain! When I went to the Shire to meet the burglar Gandalf had picked, he was outside the house I had been trying to find…twice. Even a king can get lost._

 _I would have asked him to join us, but in case your cousins and I fell I wanted to rest in peace knowing that I had an heir safe._

 _He told me when I asked him why a dwarf was living with hobbits that he was taken by orcs when he was young and he traveled to the Shire in hopes of safety._

 _I pray he is still there. When I saw him he looked like the man I always dreamed he would be! His manner are much like Kili's, he should be easy to find unless there are more dwarves in the Shire._

Lain figured he was joking.

 _Find him, bring him home, and tell him that I am sorry I did not try harder to find him, you, and Tauriel. I could tell he was strong when I saw him, I could see it in his eyes!_

 _I wanted so much to tell him who I was, but I knew if I did he would beg to come with me._

He was right about that. Lain would have.

 _Show this letter only to Tauriel, Balin, and Dain._

 _Let Lain know that I am proud of him! It takes a lot of bravery to travel such a long distance alone at such a young age, he probably already knows that of course._

 _He may not know it, but he is very strong and very brave. I know he shall make a great king!_

 _Farewell Lyra._

 _-Thorin Oakenshield._

"Lain," said Tauriel when she knew he had finished reading, "you are the heir to Erebor!"

"The dwarf I met on the road…before I left he seemed reluctant to tell me something very important and told me something else instead even though there was more he wanted to say- I could tell…That was Father?" He was out of breath.

"We must leave right away." Said Tauriel.

"I agree." Said Cornflower.

"Cornflower, we talked about this." Lain replied.

She put her hands on her hips and glared at him, "Get a horse and wagon for all I care! I am going and we are leaving now! That is final!"

"Your wife is right, Lain." Tauriel replied.

Lain stood, "My wife is with child and close to time. I cannot forsake her by leaving now, it's dangerous!"

"Lain, think about it. If we waited 'till after the baby comes then danger will find us. Babies are not exactly quiet ones. We should go while it is still in my womb." Cornflower put her hands on her stomach.

Two women against him, he had no chance.

"I will go back to Bag End, have Bilbo sell the house, and anything we don't need, and then have him send someone with the money and meet us in Bree." Lain decided.

He had never seen Cornflower so happy, not even when they found out about the child and especially on their wedding day!

"I shall help her pack while you speak with Bilbo." Said Tauriel, "I came on horseback, Cornflower can ride him until we get to Bree and can hopefully get a wagon. You and I will carry what we can."

Lain nodded and grabbed his jacket before heading out the door. His first real adventure, and it could end with the death of his wife or child or both.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter twenty seven.

He had handed the letter to Bilbo when he got to Bag-End and Bilbo's eyes grew wide as he read and let Lain in. They sat in the kitchen.

"Why did you never tell me who your father was?" asked Bilbo.

"I never knew he was on the quest! When orcs took me I heard them speak of how Oakenshield's line must die. I knew if I breathed his name anywhere I would surely be killed. I never told anyone, except Cornflower." Said Lain.

"Does this mean you are leaving even with Cornflower so close to her time?" Bilbo asked.

"Yes, we need to sell the house and leave. I was hoping you would sell it for us and send someone with the money to meet us at Bree." Lain explained, "Milos-as much as he loves adventures-would never agree to Cornflower and I leaving, so I could never ask him."

"Of course I shall. Perhaps Cornflower's friend Sweet-Pea Brandybuck could bring the money. She doesn't mind a challenge and would want to see Cornflower off." said Bilbo, "When do you plan on leaving?"

"Tonight, at a very late hour. When most of the Shire is sleeping we will be off." Said Lain.

Bilbo handed him the letter back, "I wish you well on your journey, Lain son of Thorin."

Lain had never been called that in his life, he hoped to live up to his father's name and be worthy enough to be called Thorin Oakenshield's son!

Lain said a last goodbye to Bilbo and told him to tell Frodo he went on an unexpected journey and would see all the places that Bilbo did, including what was once known as the desolation of Smaug. Then Lain went back home and helped Cornflower and Tauriel pack. They packed-what felt like-the whole pantry into several bags and well as some clothing and some little comforts from the Shire.

After he had put some of the bags in the living room he went back to the bedroom as Tauriel and Cornflower started to argue.

"What is this?" he asked.

"I will not leave the crib!" Cornflower shouted at Tauriel.

"We cannot bring it." Tauriel replied.

Cornflower's grandfather made a mahogany crib for her mother and carved beautiful creatures into it, it was a small one. Cornflower's mother died shortly after giving birth to her, Milos pulled the crib out of storage-not even Finch or her other brother Joel slept in it-and she slept in it. He gave it to her when she told him of the child. It was a small crib a baby could be rocked in.

"Surely when we get a wagon we could strap it in." said Lain, "Tauriel, you and I could carry most of the bags-all of them if need be-and we tie the crib to the horse's back and Cornflower could still ride it."

"It would slow us down, but as long as we are in the Shire we shouldn't need to hurry." Said Tauriel then turning to look at Lain, "Orcs are surely still on the hunt for you. They will not rest until all of us are dead. Lyra was inside the mountain during the battle so they do not know she still lives. I would have been killed if it was not for…a friend."

She seemed to want to say the name of her friend, but it pained her too much to utter the name.

They waited a while before the cover of night came, they ate dinner-Cornflower ate supper some hours later-and as him and Cornflower sat by the fire, Tauriel stood near the window and stared out it as if doing so would make the darkness come faster.

"We haven't thought of names yet." Cornflower reminded him.

"How have we not?" he asked wide eyed, forgetting to name their unborn child seemed like a crime.

"I do not know, but we should think of something while we wait or we never will until we reach Erebor." She smirked.

"For a girl's name, what was your mother's name?" Lain asked.

"No, I want our children's names to be their own." She replied, "Your mother and father had wonderful names, as did my mother, but something our children can call their own."

"You never cease to amaze me, Cornflower." Lain smiled, "How about we each pick out a name for a girl and a boy and when the baby is born we shall decide what he or she looks more like."

"Alright," said Cornflower smiling. "For a girl, Daisy. For a boy, Will."

"For a girl, Rosie Posy. For a boy, Loiki." Lain looked up for a moment at Tauriel, her eyes were fixed on the outside. She seemed bravery and stronger than when he last saw her. She had become the kind of person any dwarf would be proud to call their daughter.

"Tauriel?"

"Yes Lain." She didn't look over to him.

"You said you were in Mirkwood when Lyra showed you the letter, what were you doing there?" he asked, "Why were you not in Erebor?"

"My place was with the Elves of Mirkwood, going wherever the wind takes me or where I'm needed the most. Besides, one Elf living in Erebor is one thing, but two Elves? Unheard of." She replied with a smile even though she wasn't looking at him.

"Father died reclaiming our home, and you just left?" he couldn't hide the disgust in his voice.

"Lain, I didn't belong there." She replied turning to look at him.

"You belong with our family! Lyra is our family and you left her to grieve our father's death alone?!" he grew angry with his sister, "You left her to live the same Elves that Mother left to be with Father! Don't tell me you've turn into one of them! Selfish, caring only for themselves!"

"Lain," She said softly, clearly not wanting to argue with her brother, but he was no longer listening.

Tauriel left his twin sister alone when he knew that no one should go through the death of a loved one alone. He didn't understand it on bit. He remembered Lyra very little, he did remember how she had black hair and blue eyes and looked more like father than he did when they were young.

"Darkness has fallen. We must leave right away." Said Tauriel jumping up and putting what she could on her back. She cringed.

"Are you alright, Tauriel?" asked Cornflower.

"Old injury is all, nothing to worry about." She replied.

Lain grabbed what he could and then Tauriel went out to get the dark brown horse; who she let wander around a bit. She brought him up to the house and then she and Lain strapped some bags and the crib onto his back. Once he was set, Tauriel helped Cornflower carefully onto the horse. She seemed nervous.

"Are you sure this thing is safe?" Cornflower asked, hating to be so high off the ground.

"I trust Fastwind with my life. He can take the safest path when he senses your fear and run fast when he senses your hurry." Tauriel replied taking Fastwind's reins and started walking. Lain looked back before leaving, he wouldn't lie that he would not miss the Shire and his old home, but it was time for a new chapter in the story of his life. Cornflower would be a part of that chapter and agreed to it when she said, "I do."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty eight.

They traveled for days before they finally made it to Bree. They stayed at the Inn and Tauriel became her search in finding a small wagon for Fastwind to pull. Lain and Cornflower stayed in the room, he did not feel comfortable leaving Cornflower alone in that sort of place-even if she could take care of herself.

"I hope Tauriel can find a wagon." Said Cornflower.

"Tired of the horse already?" asked Lain.

"I know my limits, it's not good for me to ride him for so long." She replied.

"This is why I didn't want to leave until the child was born." Lain shook his head.

"Lain," she said putting her hand on his, "with a young child to care for I would have been even worse of a traveling companion."

He laughed and she smiled.

"Trust me, it's better this way."

Tauriel returned to the room with Sweet-Pea behind her. Cornflower jumped up-as much as a pregnant woman could-and hugged her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Bilbo Baggins sent me to bring you this." She held out an envelope and Lain took it gratefully, "The money from your home. Oh Cornflower! I will miss you!"

"And I you, but an adventure like this will do me good. How did Hobbiton take our disappearing?" Cornflower asked.

"They were shocked! One day you're in your home as everyone else and then they wake up and it's for sale! The Sackville-Baggins' are blaming Bilbo for filling Lain's heads with stories and now he's off risking his wife and unborn child's life for some silly quest." Sweet-Pea replied, "Of course no one knows what really happened, but that's just what the Sackville-Baggins' think."

"I found a wagon that should work. Lain and I shall still have to carry much so Fastwind is not slowed down." said Tauriel.

"Wonderful! I say we leave first thing in the morning!" said Cornflower.

"Shouldn't we leave in the afternoon?" asked Lain, still worried about Cornflower.

"Lain, I shall be in a wagon all day every day until we reach Erebor! I'll be okay." She insisted.

"Alright." Lain sighed.

They had dinner in the room with Sweet-Pea and made some small talk. Sweet-Pea mentioned how she left in the middle of the night so her parents wouldn't try to talk her out of going, since they were very good at that sort of thing.

"Well, thank you for dinner," she said after finishing, "But my parents will have enough of a heart attack already, I must return home right away!"

"Thank you for this Sweet-Pea." said Lain holding up the envelope.

"Of course! Someone had to make sure Cornflower was okay." She winked, and turned to Cornflower, "Your brother knows where you're going. Your father's still in the dark. Finch won't give you away though."  
"Thank you." Cornflower replied.

Sweet-Pea hugged Cornflower one last time before leaving. Then Cornflower went ahead and went to sleep. Tauriel sat by the fire and stared into it like it had all the answers she sought. Lain sat by the window watching her. Could she had really left because the thought of being in that mountain without their father there too painful?

"What am I doing?" he said aloud.

"What?" asked Tauriel.

"I know nothing of being a king and here I am risking my family's life to rule a kingdom I've never seen!" he said as if the idea was ridiculous.

"You've spent too much time with hobbits, Lain." Tauriel replied, "Just trust yourself and that Father will watch over you. I'm sure if Fili or Kili were still alive they would wonder the same thing."

"Were they married?" Lain asked.

"I do not think so." Tauriel replied.

"They didn't have a wife or unborn child to think of." Lain watched as two men outside got into a fight.

"This is what is best for them." Tauriel insisted.

"I'm not sure." Lain muttered under his breath.

The one of two memories he had-even though the faces were a blur-of his family was when he heard his mother and father fighting for the first time on a cold winter night. He couldn't remember why they fought, but they did. He grew sad and started crying. He scolded himself for crying since he was a dwarf, and dwarves didn't cry.

He ran outside into the freezing cold to get away from the noise. He soon found animal tracks and decided to go hunting. He tracked them and had with him a sharp stick. He pushed through the snow for hours before he came across what made the tracks, wild turkeys. He hid behind a tree and stayed and quiet as possible. When one came close he stabbed it with his stick, all the others flew/ran away. He hated hearing the sound of the animal in pain. Once it stopped and was dead he just sat there. He reminded himself not to cry and he picked the dead bird up by its legs and walked home.

It was late afternoon of the next day when he returned. His mother and father ran out when they saw him. His mother hugged him first and then saw the turkey.

"Lain! For the name of Durin, where have you been?!" she cried.

"I-I didn't like the noise. I came outside and found tracks, so I went hunting." Lain said holding his tears back as best as he could, "I just wanted to be a brave dwarf. The children in the village say I'm not a real dwarf because I'm a cry-baby!"

Thorin laughed and knelt in front of Lain, "Lain, you shouldn't mind them. Your mother and I think you are very brave. You know when to fight and when not to fight."

"I don't like to kill things!" he moaned giving his mother the turkey, "Take it! I'm not like Papa!"

Thorin hugged Lain, "Sometimes that can be a good thing. Follow your heart and do what you think is right."

"Does this mean I should go to bed without supper?" asked Lain when Thorin stopped hugging him.

"And let this thing go to waste? Certainly not!" said his mother smiling, "But, you will not be allowed to play outside for three days, understand?"

He nodded and they went inside. Lain had ran out without a coat or boots! He sat by the fire and tried to warm his blue feet and hands with a wool blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his twin snuggling next to him.

"Why did you leave, Lain?" Lyra asked.

"Mama and Papa were fighting." Said Lain, "I didn't like it."

"I heawd (heard) them, Papa wanted Mama to teach us hewe (here) at home but she thought it would fow (for) suwe (Sure) sepawate (separate) us fwom (from) the villagews (villagers) and make them think we'we (we're) too good fow (for) them." Said Lyra, "Well, that's what I heawd (heard) them say anyway."

"I wish we could!" said Lain.

"We'we (we're) dwawves (dwarves) and elves! We can make it thwough (through) school." Lyra hugged him.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter twenty nine.

They continued traveling for days. The cribs and in the wagon with Cornflower and they had the bags filled with clothes as pillows to try and make it more comfortable for her. Cornflower hated to knit more than anything, but since they had no blanket for the baby she decided she make one since she had nothing else to do while sitting in the wagon. Lain found two sticks the same size and carved them with a knife he had. Then he smoothed them and gave them to Cornflower. She had some old yarn of her mother's that her father gave her thinking she'd enjoy knitting someday, but never did.

"What color?" she asked Lain.

"I don't want to say pink and it being a boy or the other way around." He joked.

"Well, what is a color that would work for either one?" she asked.

"I don't know. Tauriel?" he asked his sister, who led Fastwind along.

"Green." She suggested.

"I do have some Shire Green. Thank you Tauriel!" said Cornflower.

"You're welcome." She replied.

The rest of the journey was very quiet. They'd try to stop, but Cornflower would insist on going onward. Tauriel seemed to be able to do so and never sleep, but Lain grew tired. He forgot to get a new pair of boots before leaving Bree so the ones that grew too small for him pinched his toes.

It grew cooler each night, Lain pulled his dark blue jacket closer to try and stay warm.

His least favorite time through the journey was going through the marsh. He fell in the mucky water more than once and mosquitoes began to eat him and Cornflower alive, Tauriel didn't seem to care. They had to push the wagon at one point because it got stuck in the mud. Lain was glad to be out of such a horrid place!

After a several days, they reached Bilbo's trolls-as they were referred to in the Shire. Lain was amazed at the size of them and was grateful that they were stone.

Tauriel climbed on top of one of them and looked out. A strange sound was in the air, one he had not heard for a long time.

"Orcs draw near!" Tauriel called down.

"Orcs?!" gasped Lain.

"Finally, a little more action in this adventure!" said Cornflower as she finished another row, not even looking up.

"We must hurry! How far is Rivendell?" Lain asked.

"Six days if I remember correctly." Cornflower replied for Tauriel.

"We must not stop tonight." Said Tauriel looking at Lain, "Lain, get on Fastwind's back."

"I do not want to tire him." Lain replied.

"By tiring yourself?" asked Tauriel, "If we end up having to fight these orcs I will need your help."

"I don't even have a sword!" Lain replied.

Tauriel held out a sword. The hilt was black with white gems as bright as the moon, and special carvings in it that only the light of the moon could reveal; it was a clouded night that night. He took it out and saw that the blade was bright gold, shaped the way normal dwarf blades were.

"It was forged by our kin. First sword to be forged in the mountain since Smaug took it." Said Tauriel as he admired it.

"It is beautiful!" he exclaimed putting it back and attaching it to his belt.

Lain decided Tauriel was right and got onto Fastwind's back. For a while he fell asleep without knowing it! When he realized he did it was dawn of the next day.

They never stopped. Lain would walk in the mornings and ride Fastwind at night. Tauriel seemed lost in thought. Every day she wouldn't say much, was it because of their fight? He tried to engage her in conversation, but she seemed to be in another world.

They rested at Weathertop-against Tauriel's wishes-because Cornflower admitted to feeling unwell, so they helped her out of the wagon to lay on the ground and then started a fire. While Cornflower slept, Lain had to know what was on Tauriel's mind.

"Tauriel, you have been lost in thought much lately. What are you thinking of?" Lain asked as the fire burned bright.

"After I lost you, Lyra and I traveled through Mirkwood for many miles. Then she fell into the river and I thought she drowned for I did not see her." Tauriel explained, "Then I traveled alone and when orcs attacked I met the Elves of Mirkwood. King Thranduil found me and brought me back to Mirkwood. The Prince Legolas and I became good friends, practically inseparable. After the Battle of the Five Armies, he left."

"Why?" asked Lain.

"He...I do not know. He had to leave. Go where the wind took him." she replied. He figured there was something more to the story, "Rest Lain, I will take first watch."

"You always take first watch and then never wake me up for second watch." he pointed out, " _I_ will take first watch."

"Are you sure?"

"Tauriel, you talk to me and act as if I was still that young dwarf that orcs took. I know danger and survival, remember that I was on my own for the longest time before I reached the Shire." Lain replied.

Tauriel smiled, "You are right Lain. Alright, you can take first watch."

She fell asleep faster than Lain ever had at his tiredest. He shivered whenever he heard the sound of an orc. At one point he thought he heard wolves howling.

The night was quiet after a while and then he thought it was a good time to wake Tauriel so she could take watch, but when he did so wouldn't wake. He knew that she hadn't slept at all since they left Bree, he thought it best to let her sleep and he would continue to keep watch.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter thirty.

His mind traveled back to the Shire. He wasn't treated the best while living with the Sackville-Baggins', but they were kind enough to give him shelter.

After his first meeting with Cornflower he went into the woods again the next afternoon in hopes of seeing her. Sure enough there she was, sitting below a tree with some paper and a pencil in her curly hair and paints by her side. She would looked up at the gap in the woods that showed a field filled with different colored flowers and bright green grass.

"Good day Cornflower." Said Lain walking up.

She looked up and smiled, "If it isn't the Dwarf-who-cannot-climb-down-trees!"

He laughed, "Not one of my best days."

He looked at her drawing, she had used her pencil to get the detail first and then painted it. He felt as if he could reach into the painting.

"It's amazing! Where did you learn to paint like that?" Lain asked wide eyed.

"My father always said I had an eye for beauty and colors, as well as a heart for trouble." She smirked.

"Are you always out here in the afternoons?" he asked siting down next to her, but not too close. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea.

"My father works a lot and my brother helps him. As long as I don't leave Hobbiton he doesn't mind me wandering off." She replied, "I come here sometimes to paint or draw, but I long to go off and see all of Middle Earth!"

"My adventure before coming here is not something very exciting." Lain replied.

Her eyes lit up, "Oh please tell me! I don't care if it was boring, but what did you see? The flowers, the rocks, and the trees! What are they like?"

He thought she would find those things tedious when he found them interesting. Lain told her everything in detail, how he would jump up and night and start off again if he heard a wolf or an orc. He told her of the Elves of Rivendell and how kind they were.

"Lucky you! When I am older I shall go far off! Fight orcs, or maybe just see everything and staying out of trouble, even though Father says I can't help but get into trouble." She replied, "What's your father like?"

"I do not remember. His name I could write over and over again as well as my mother's. What I do remember was that he was strong and brave. It seemed like the only thing he feared was losing my sisters and my mother." Lain felt sad thinking of his mother. When Tauriel got them out of the cellar she covered their eyes and told them to hurry, he knew she must have been trying to protect them from the truth…that their mother was dead.

"He sounds like a good man. My father would do anything for me, but I'm not sure he would be brave enough to give up his life for my brother or me." Cornflower added more color to some other flowers.

"I never said he would have given his life for us." Said Lain.

"I could read between the lines, the way you described him. He is clearly the kind of man who would give his life in hopes you and your mother and sisters would live." She smiled. Her eyes seemed to light up.

"My mother is dead, my sisters are somewhere in Mirkwood or near Erebor. I may never see them again, but I wish my father would come looking for me. I long to see him, just once." Lain felt as if he could tell Cornflower anything without her judging him or calling him names, "I'm sorry if I'm being too sentimental."

She stared at him as if he had a bee crawling up his nose, "Lain, girls are _very_ sentimental. Well, most of us anyway. There's no need to apologize, you're honest, and I like that."

"Lotho says to be a man. Brave and Bold, but that is my father. It is not me at all." He admitted.

"What does he know? Would you rather listen to Lotho or an _actual_ female?" she teased.

"I believe the answer should be as clear as the sun raising in the east and setting in the west." Lain replied simply.

She laughed, "Well, girls like someone who would protect them if harm should come their way, but also be honest. Hobbits don't care much for protection since it is quite peaceful here, but I shall want to go on adventures."

"Would you join me in a walk through the woods, Cornflower?" he asked standing up and holding out his hand.

She took it and he helped her up, "Gladly, I must put away my paints and things so no harm should come to them."

He helped her do so and then they walked through the woods and looked around as if trying to find Elves or Dwarves. They found flowers and other things that nature gave them.

As the sunset, they went back to the spot where Cornflower was painting and she gathered her things.

"For someone who has been looking for peace and quiet for a long time, you are very adventurous!" she said happily, "All my friends never come exploring the woods with me. I usually paint or draw and sit alone."

"Now you don't have to-unless you like to." He added quickly.

"Well, sometimes I may prefer to paint or draw and just get lost in nature, but other times I may rather go exploring."

"I better get home, Lobelia will have my head if I stay out to long!" he replied.

"Ha! Lobelia has always been hot tempered, she took my toy sword because I dropped it in her yard!" Cornflower was clearly not fond of Lobelia, not many were-even with taking in Lain, "Good evening to you, Lain."

"Good evening to you as well, Cornflower." He bowed and she laughed and skipped away.

He swore that day that if his father never found him or came for him, he would marry Cornflower.


	31. Chapter 31

_**Sorry I've been dead (Not really). I was in a musical and have been working my butt off rehearsing dance numbers, songs, and reading lines. It was really fun.**_

 _ **Anyway, here's the long expected (Reference intended) chapter!**_

Chapter thirty one.

Dawn had come. Lain woke Cornflower and then hitched Fastwind up to the wagon and made sure the bags were on. He helped Cornflower get into the wagon and then walked over to Tauriel; who was still fast asleep.

"Tauriel." He said shaking her shoulder, she didn't stir, "Tauriel!"

She finally moaned and slowly opened her eyes, "What time is it?"

"Dawn." He replied.

She shot up, "You were supposed to wake me for second watch!"

"You hadn't slept since we left Bree, you needed your sleep more than I did." Lain replied, "Don't think I hadn't noticed."

She rose and took Fastwind's reigns. They started walking, Lain noticed the horn on Tauriel's belt.

"What is the horn for?" he asked.

"It is one of the Elves of Mirkwood. I use it only when needed, when close to the forest I can call others to my aid." She replied.

"What is Mirkwood like?" he asked.

"King Thranduil is very stubborn and strict, but he means well. All the Elves train at a young age, but not all of them become warriors and soldiers. But in case they are out in the forest alone they have to know how to fight and defend themselves." Tauriel replied, "I am Captain of the Guard and I help train the younger Elves."

"Were you allowed to leave?" Lain couldn't help but ask.

"I may go where I wish, I did tell my king where I was going and how long I would be gone so he would not worry." Her thoughts started to wander again.

"He thinks of you as his daughter, doesn't he?" Lain asked. She stared at him in shock, "I can see it in your eyes and how you speak of him."

"Yes, he has thought of me as his daughter for the longest time. I did not know how much so until he found out who my father was."

"He did not throw you out or kill you?"

"No, I am sure if his son was part Dwarf he would not do so to him." She said with a small smile.

"Why do you wear two necklaces?" Lain asked.

She looked down. He saw how she had a golden locket with an oak tree carved into it, and the other one was a circle made to look like a tree branch bent and in the center of the circle was a branch going from one side of the circle to the other and in the center was a pure white gem.

"I believe you remember this." She said as she took off the locket and handed it to him, "As for the other one, it was a gift."

"From Thranduil?"

"From Legolas. He gave it to me when he found out it was my birthday. I later learned that it was his mother's." Tauriel smiled, "I wear both of them to remember who I am. A daughter of Oakenshield, and an Elf of Mirkwood."

Lain opened the locket. It was as if Lotho punched him in the heart when they would rough-house. His father looked a little different from the dwarf he met in the Shire that night, but they both had the same bold look in their eyes.

His mother looked like a face from a dream. She looked like Tauriel did, although at the moment Tauriel's eyes were hazel. They would change color sometimes. Tauriel looked just like their mother.

"Why did you shield mine and Lyra's eyes?" he asked.

"I wanted your last memory of mother one where she was happy and filled with life, not cold and lifeless." Tauriel replied, her eyes turning blue.

They continued to travel without stop, but they heard orcs hot on their trail. They hurried as fast as they could, whenever Lain thought he heard an orc his hand would find the hilt of his sword.

A wolf howled just behind them. Lain was on Fastwind's back, he turned and saw an orc riding a warg running towards them. He jumped off and they started running.

"We cannot out-run it!" Tauriel shouted.

"Get Cornflower out of here! I'll hold them off!" he shouted.

"Lain, no!" gasped Cornflower.

"She's right, you cannot fight them on your own. I won't allow it!" Tauriel replied as they continued to run.

"I'm not asking you to allow it!" Lain shouted as he slowed down, "Now go!"

They went on while he took out his sword and stood his ground. He tried to look brave and tall, even though he was so scared he was ready to crawl into a hole.

"You will not touch them!" he shouted as an orc came closer, his words felt like someone else's.

As the warg jumped he stabbed it from underneath and pulled the sword out as it fell and moved so he would get stuck underneath. The orc jumped up and ran towards Lain, he blocked the orc's blow and then stabbed it.

More orcs came for Lain. He didn't surrender though. If they got past him they would surely kill Cornflower and the baby. Tauriel could probably stand a chance-with all the weapons she had hidden in her boots and everywhere else.

Soon, twenty orcs surrounded him. He knew he was outnumbered and beat, but he couldn't just give up like that!

One warg jumped in front of him and he stabbed it in the head and ducked away from its' rider's arrow. Once he pulled his sword out, he slayed the orc.

A horn blew and all the orcs turned, many of them were shot but others retreated. Lain turned and saw Elves riding as fast as the wind could carry them.

When at last the orcs were gone or killed, one Elf road up to Lain and came off his horse.

"Welcome Lain son of Thorin." Said the Elf, "I am Lord Elrond."

Lain bowed slightly out of respect, "My apologies for bringing these orc filth so close to Rivendell."

"Never have I seen a Dwarf apologize in such a long time." Said Elrond, "Tauriel and your wife are safely in Rivendell."

"Thank you. I suppose I am not as much a Dwarf as some. I have been with hobbits for many years." Lain replied.

One of the other Elves brought a white horse for Lain to ride-even though a pony would have done better. Lain got onto the horse-with some help-and road with the Elves to Rivendell.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter thirty two.

"Lain! Thank Durin you're alright!" gasped Cornflower when he met her in the Last Homely Home. She sat in a comfortable chair by the fire.

He walked over to her and hugged her, "I glad I was able to insure yours and Tauriel's safe arrival."

"If I wasn't as big as a horse I would have fought with you. You know I can fight." She said after hugging him.

"I know you can, you never let me forget." Lain said before kissing her.

When she had gone on her own adventure to Rivendell and stayed there for three months she had killed several orcs with a knife and spear she made from her walking stick.

Cornflower went to the bedroom to rest a while, though she wanted to show Lain Rivendell she knew after all the excitement she had to take it easy for the baby's sake.

Lain walked about and enjoyed the peacefulness of the place. Many Elves would stare at him as he walked by, he didn't care. He then noticed Tauriel standing alone by a fountain.

"Enjoying the quiet?" he asked as he walked over.

She turned and smiled, "The sound of running water now calms me like it never did."

He arched his eyebrow. She looked away.

"When Lyra was swept away by the river in Mirkwood I was always haunted by the sound because when I heard it I could also hear her screaming. Yet, I would force myself to go to the river or wherever there was rushing water to try and get over. Only now do I realize I was doing it to hear her and to hold on to the fact that I could not save either of you.

"It built me up and helped me to be stronger sometimes. However, on the day Lyra was taken by the river I was standing by it I let myself be weak. I never showed my weakness to anyone, not even Legolas, but he found me there and…well, I have never let my guard down since."

"Tauriel, you told me Lyra was safe in Erebor." Lain reminded her.

"True, and now since I know that I can hear the water without the screaming. The river carried her to safety, to wait until the time had come when our father would reclaim Erebor." Tauriel replied.

"How will we do it?" he asked.

"What?"

"Get over the Misty Mountains. Cornflower could not climb those mountains and Fastwind would not be able to carry her or the rest of our things." Lain pointed out.

"That is why I am here. To think. If I can think of nothing I shall ask for Elrond council, perhaps he could help us." She replied.

"Yes, although Elves normally answer with yes and no from what hobbits tell me." he replied.

"Sometimes, Lord Thranduil with yes _or_ no, not both."

"Maybe we should ask him, it would save us trouble." Lain muttered.

Tauriel laughed, "He hates Dwarves, probably not best."

Lain left her alone to her thoughts and went to the place where the sword of King Elessar was kept. A statue of a lady was holding on her large stone tray. It was still in pieces. Lain was tempted to hold the hilt part of it in his hands, but it was not his to wield.

He turned and looked at the painting of Isildur holding the hilt of the sword as Sauron held up his mace and on his hand was the One Ring, which was lost forever.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter thirty three

Tauriel tried to think of how in the name of Durin they would get over the Misty Mountains with Cornflower, but all she could think about was when she was in Laketown, when Smaug was coming.

She stood outside of Bard's home, staring towards the mountain, her heart heavy with grief. If the dragon made it out then her father was surely dead. She held back tears as the bell ran and people screamed.

She shook her head, her father would have told her to protect what was left of the Line of Durin. As far as she knew, Fili and Kili were the only ones left. She had to protect them, as well as the children who lived in the home.

"Tauriel." said Lord Elrond.

She turned, still hearing the screams of the people of Laketown.

"Yes my Lord?" she asked bowing her head slightly.

"How is Lain?"

"He is well, thank you for helping him." Tauriel replied.

Elrond bowed his head in return, "Something is on your mind."

"We cannot get over the Misty Mountains with Cornflower, it is too dangerous. I've turned it over in my head over and over again, but I cannot think of anything." she shook her head sadly.

"No matter which path you take it will be too dangerous. If you were to wait until after she has given birth to the child she would have to climb while holding the child and there would be great risk." said Lord Elrond, "If you were to go on with her it would be just as dangerous. I am afraid there is no safe way."

"I understand, but there must be some way we haven't thought of!" Tauriel wasn't one for holding onto hope, but she wouldn't give up on Lain or Cornflower just yet.

"I am sorry Tauriel daughter of Thorin, but there is nothing else." said Elrond sadly before walking away.

She shook her head sadly, it was up to Lain now. Would he delay the journey for the sake of his wife and child, or go on?

Tauriel went to Cornflower and Lain and told them there was no safe way to take Cornflower over the Misty Mountains and to go around would be a bad idea since it would take longer.

"We must wait until the child is born." Said Lain.

"I thought that's why we left right away in the first place, so we wouldn't travel with a child." Cornflower pointed out.

"I will not put you in harm's way Cornflower!" Lain replied sharply.

"Lain, we must move on! Your people wait for you." Cornflower had a sad look about her, "I do not fear what lies ahead,"

"I cannot lose you!"

"Nor I you, but this is your destiny. May your father's spirit watch over us." She kissed Lain and left the room.

He turned to Tauriel, "Surely there is another way!"

"I am afraid not Lain, if there was I would take it. Going around the mountains will only led to our death, orcs still hunt you." Tauriel replied looking at her shoes.

Lain sighed and sat in a chair by the fire. Tauriel left and sat by a waterfall and closed her eyes.

"This is ridiculous!" fourteenish-year-old Tauriel groaned, "Why must this be done?"

"Tauriel, it keeps our hair from getting into our eyes and blocking our sight." Said Legolas and he French braided her hair.

She sat on the floor with her legs crossed, as did he. She had never had her hair done like that before. She let it fall in her face often, but King Thranduil insisted it was done before going out on Scouting Trips or battle.

"I don't like it." She grumbled.

Legolas laughed, "Tauriel, it seems impossible to get you to like something here other than fighting. My father tried to get you lessons in playing an instrument and you broke whatever instrument you were given after only ten minutes."

"It was boring. Sitting and doing nothing is hard for me." Tauriel laughed a little.

Truth be told, her mother played many instruments. At night her mother would play violin and her father would play his harp and Tauriel with her siblings would listen and sway in time. The sound of instruments was no longer sweet to her ears, it was a painful memory.

"My father is very impressed. Not many She-Elves would fight or prefer knives to harps." Legolas accidently tugged on her hair, "Forgive me."

"You are forgiven." Said Tauriel with a smile even though he couldn't see it.

"Done." Said Legolas getting up and helping her up. She almost fell over, tiny knives hit her foot and legs.

"I can't feel my legs!" she laughed. It was a funny and painful feeling.

"It happens, soon you will sit for a very long time and that feeling will be gone." Legolas replied.

She playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head. Then they both went to do some training together. They walked past a room where the woman made gowns of the finest silks and younger girls her age doing the same. Tauriel had no friends of her own gender. They all resented her for fighting and doing the men's work. Legolas was her only friend, but at least she had the respect of the other men.

Erathile, a girl her age and had always had her eyes on Legolas, locked eyes with Tauriel and glared at her. When Tauriel first came Erathile teased her and made fun of her. Tauriel wasn't bothered by it much, but she knew she would make no friends there.

"Tauriel." Said Legolas.

Tauriel followed him and left the door way. She reminded herself of what she planned to do. Leave Mirkwood and head for the Blue Mountains in hopes of joining her kin.

After training and ran into Erathile.

"You do not belong here you know." She said with no emotion in her voice, "You are a little too short to be an Elf, you must be part human."

"I was born early." Said Tauriel even though it was half true.

"The men will never truly accept a She-Elf fighting alongside them. Nor will Legolas, he pretends to show fondness for you when in truth he shall leave you one day!" Erathile snapped.

"You are lying!" said Tauriel.

"Am I? Do you really think you could win his affections?" she asked. Tauriel knew she was just jealous of hers and Legolas's friendship, "Even the King does not approve of you. He just knows that his people might resent him if he were to be rid of a young She-Elf! He only let you stay so others would think him fair."

That did it, just as she heard someone shout Erathile's name in a sharp disapproving tone she lunged at her and pinned her to the ground. Erathile punched Tauriel in the nose and it started to bleed and then she got on top of Tauriel. Someone was trying to pull Erathile off Tauriel, but Erathile was strangling Tauriel. Tauriel kicked her in the stomach and got back on top of her, then she was lifted off of Erathile like she was weightless.

"Enough!" shouted King Thranduil as Tauriel struggled from his grasp.

Legolas had a hold of Erathile, her cheek was cut from the ring Tauriel was forced to wear.

"Legolas, take Erathile home." Thranduil said in a stern voice.

Tauriel stopped struggling, but he still had a hold of her wrist-which was bleeding for some reason.

"Come, Tauriel." He didn't drag her, but he did not let go of her wrist until they were alone in the throne room, "What were you thinking?"

"I was not thinking." Tauriel said after he let go of her wrist and she looked down at her feet, "That is just it my King. She got into my head and anger took over every bone in me."

"Never have I had to deal with you getting into a fight with another female Elf." Said Thranduil looking down and the hand he was holding her wrist with and noticed the blood and then looked at her arm, "How did that happen?"

"I am afraid I do not know Sire." Said Tauriel fighting back tears, ashamed of herself and hurt by what Erathile said.

"How did it start, Tauriel?" he asked.

"She offended me greatly and I struck first." She admitted.

"What was said?"

"Forgive me, but I'd rather it went unsaid." Tauriel refused to meet his eyes.

King Thranduil said nothing for a moment as he walked around. Tauriel was sure he would punish her greatly. She felt blood run from her nose and touch her lip. He walked back over to her and lifted her chin. She saw how there was some of her blood on his gown.

"You have been hurt, not only on the outside…but on the inside." He said trying to understand. She bit her lip and nodded.

"Go to the Healer and have your injuries taken care of." He said walking away.

"What of my punishment?" Tauriel called.

He stopped and not even turning he replied, "What have you learned from this?"

"To never let my feelings take control. I am the master and I control them." Tauriel replied as strong as she could without cracking.

"I think as long as you have learned from your mistakes that is all." Thranduil replied, "You have been punished enough with words of hatred as I see it."

Then he walked away and after Tauriel had her wrist and nose taken care of she was walking in the halls and tried to avoid Legolas the rest of the day.

Then when she went into her room and carefully closed the door behind her she turned and saw Legolas siting on the chest at the end of her bed as if he had wanted to surprise her, but he was not smiling.

Tauriel stayed by the door.

"Tauriel, I heard what she said." Said Legolas.

She walked down two small steps and then walked over to the chest and sat next to him.

"I have never done or said anything to make her dislike me." She said sadly.

"I know. There must have been something." Said Legolas.

"I became a fighter." She replied, "I tried doing things to try and belong with the women, making gowns and things like that, but I realized it wasn't who I was and it made me miserable."

Legolas put his arm around her and she put her head on his shoulder, trying not to brake.

"She is only jealous you are so brave and beloved by all."

Tauriel pushed him a little, "You are lying."

"I am not. No one has seen a strong female Elf who would fight to the death in many many years!" he insisted.

"I wish to be alone for a while." She said trying to breathe.

He turned and looked at her, "Tauriel, dark thoughts enter one's mind when they are alone. They need someone until there is no risk of such thoughts."

"I must be alone." she insisted.

"You will never be alone." he replied.

She gave in, she began to cry. At first it was slow, but then it grew until it consumed her! Legolas held her in his arms as she cried. It was the first time he had seen her cry, she felt a little ashamed, but she tried to ignore the feeling.

"Never let anyone act like they know you, Tauriel." He said softly.

"Why does it hurt so much?!" she cried.

"Because the pain is real." He replied, "If you try to hold it in it will soon take hold of you and you will lose yourself. Many insulted me every day when I was younger."

"You?" sniffled Tauriel.

"Do not sound so surprised." Legolas laughed a little, "I am the Prince, anytime my father chose me over others they would insult me. It is harder than you think being the king's son."

"I never thought it was easy, but I never thought about it being hard." Tauriel replied wiping her eyes.

"You are not alone Tauriel. You are an amazing person, anyone who says otherwise is jealous or wants to hurt you. They want you to hurt so they can feel good about themselves." Legolas smiled and then stood up and took her hand, "Others will wonder why we are not at dinner, we should go."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter thirty four

Tauriel prepared to leave Rivendell before dawn. Lord Elrond had an Elf strap the crib to the back of Fastwind and to ride him by a different route. Then they were given two horse to ride until the path got too rough for the horse and then to take their supplies and to send the horses back.

"I don't like it." Lain grumbled

Cornflower smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "I know you don't, but we must continue our journey."

He nodded, not feeling any better, and then Lord Elrond came.

"Farewell Lain son of Thorin, Tauriel daughter of Thorin, and Cornflower daughter of Milos." Said Lord Elrond, "May your journey be successful and that you live many ages!"

"Thank you for your hospitality Lord Elrond." Said Lain bowing.

Cornflower got onto one of the horses and supplies was put on the other. They started off and journeyed for many days and nights. It took them a while before they finally began to climb the mountains and they let the horses go. Lain took most of the supplies and held Cornflower's hand as they walked.

Even after night fall they continued to climb, Lain insisted on continuing and not risking a chance of meeting the goblins of the Misty Mountains.

They were close to getting over the mountains when they heard a terrible screech.

"Goblins?" asked Lain.

"Without a doubt." Tauriel replied.

"We cannot run, fighting would be pointless for we are outnumbered. What do we do?" Lain asked terrified.

"We get over the top of the mountains." Said Cornflower, "I may not be able to run very fast, but I still know haste."

"Hurry." Tauriel gasped but did not shout, knowing the goblins may hear her.

Lain held his wife's hand and they hurried. She slipped a few times, but she got back up and kept going. The goblins sounded closer, but Tauriel found a small space behind a rock and they all crowded in. Tauriel was smashed in the back and Lain and Cornflower were in front of her.

Soon night fell and it began to ran and feel cold, they were warm in their hole, but every once and a while a cold breeze would blow inside and make them shiver.

"I wonder if this is what it is like for the baby." Said Lain.

"To be somewhere warm and safe in the midst of danger?" said Cornflower with a smile, "Yes, I imagine so."

When Lain woke up he saw that Tauriel was gone! He carefully moved Cornflower and then left the hole and went outside, Tauriel stood there watching a golden sun rise. He stood next to her.

"I can't imagine what would have happened if you didn't find that hole." Said Lain.

"It's best you do not imagine." Said Tauriel looking out, "If we keep moving without rest we should reach the borders of Mirkwood. King Thranduil is not fond of Dwarves, but he should let us pass."

"Can you promise that?" Lain asked.

"No." Tauriel said bluntly.

"Wonderful." Said Lain not really meaning it.

"We should get going. Go wake up Cornflower." Said Tauriel grabbing some bags and putting them on her back.

Lain arose Cornflower and they set off and did not stop until close to noon when they finally had breakfast (Remember, skipping meals is hard for a hobbit, and a pregnant hobbit at that!).

"What's on your mind Lain?" asked Cornflower.

"I was just thinking, for so long I've wish for my father to find me and take me home, and I guess in a way he did." Lain replied, "I just wish I could have known for sure that he never gave up."

"He didn't want to." Said Tauriel sitting on a flat rock next to Cornflower, "For years he looked and kept his eyes and ears open. I talked with Dwalin-one of the dwarves who was with father on his quest-before coming to find you, he told me a story I hope never to forget.

"He said on the Misty Mountains after escaping the goblins an orc pack had caught up to them. They climbed into the tallest pine trees and then the trees were uprooted, all but one that soon tipped and was hanging horizontally over the edge of a cliff.

"He said how out of nowhere our father stood on the tree and walked towards Azog the Defiler and faced him alone. Dwalin thought it was madness for him to do so, he seemed too angry for it to be about how Azog beheaded his grandfather and did Durin knows what to his father. Our father would have died if it wasn't for the Halfling."

"Bilbo Baggins?" said Cornflower.

"Yes, father was lying on a rock, trying to reach Orcrist as an orc got closer to cut off his head. Then Bilbo knocked him over and held up his sword, defending him. After the Eagles saved them and they went back on their way Dwalin confronted father and asked him what possessed him to face Azog like he did. Father told him this,

"'After I returned to the village I met the only survivor of the orc attack. A young girl about fifteen in the years of Men said how after her father ran with the other men to try and defend the village she saw orcs entering my home, one orc was white like she had never seen before. She ran to a climbing tree the children would play in at the school and hid there, other children were not so lucky.

"'At first I thought that it could not have been Azog and refused to believe it, but when I saw him with my own eyes at the Misty Mountains I grew angry. He took my wife, the only woman I have ever loved. He took my children, my father, and my grandfather. I lost my family because of him.'

"Dwalin said he had never seen father so upset. He said how he never really talked about his family to anyone but Fili and Kili if it came up."

Tauriel looked over at the cliff that was not far from them, "This, this is where it all happened."

"This is where father fought Azog?" said Lain.

"Yes, I can tell there were once trees by that cliff that have been uprooted and some of the trees still standing look-even to this day-somewhat burnt." She looked down at the rock she was sitting on, "It was at this spot Bilbo defended our father."

Lain stood for a moment and walked around, his foot hit something hard. It looked like an ordinary Oaken Branch, but then he picked it up and found that it was a shield.

"I've seen this before…in another life…" Lain stopped himself, he couldn't put his finger on it.

Tauriel stood and walked over to him and looked at the shield.

"An Oaken shield." Tauriel said to herself and then laughed a little, "Father's shield."

"Of course!" gasped Lain, "How could I forget?! I shall carry it with me until we reach Erebor."

"Tauriel, how far is Beorn's house or Mirkwood?" asked Cornflower.

"Quite a ways yet." Tauriel replied.

"I don't think I can make it." Said Cornflower.

"Of course you can Cornflower! You are the most stubborn hobbit I have ever met! You could be a dwarf!" said Lain.

Cornflower laughed, "Be that as it may I cannot go on. Someone seems to think this spot is the perfect spot to start the first day of their life!"

"You mean…the baby?" said Lain.

"Yes," said Cornflower nodding, "the baby's coming."


	35. Chapter 35

_**Yes, It has been a while and you're all probably thinking; "Dude?! What took you so long?!" Homeschooled high schooler who got job! I'm sure you can understand. And my computer crashed at one point and totally messed up this story and it took a while to fix.**_

 _ **Anywho, here is the long awaited chapter thirty-five!**_

Chapter thirty-five.

Lain stood guard, he wanted to be by his wife's side, but Tauriel had learned a lot of Elvish healing from their mother and had spent most of her life with Elves. He trusted that she knew what she was doing.

The sun was close to the point where it would be sunset. Lain started to begin to worry just a little bit.

Soon enough his wife gave one more scream before the sound of a little baby's scream came with the wind. Lain ran back to Cornflower and Tauriel. Tauriel was wrapping the child in her cloak and then handed it to Cornflower.

"Your daughter." Tauriel smiled.

Lain knelt next to Cornflower and kissed her on the cheek.

"While this rock maybe smooth, it is certainly not the best place to give birth." Cornflower joked.

Lain laughed, "Welcome to the Misty Mountains my little one."

"Her cheeks are so rosy. I think the name you chose suits her best." Said Cornflower, "I hope you're happy Rosie Posy, it's going to take us ages to get to the mountain now."

"Maybe not." Said Lain running over to a spot that had two branches the same size, "Tauriel, do we still have that old bit of sheet for a lean-to?"

"Excellent idea brother!" said Tauriel rummaging through the bags until she found it.

She laid it down and then Lain put the sticks apart from each other and then Tauriel folded the left-over bit of the sheet sticking out over the sticks and they worked together to secure it. When at last it was done, they helped Cornflower onto it and then they put the bags back on their backs and lifted her and Rosie off the ground. Between the two of them she weighted practically nothing!

They went days without rest until even Tauriel became too weak to continue and almost collapsed. They stopped and as Tauriel slept Lain tried to get Rosie to sleep while Cornflower wrote a letter to her father announcing the baby's arrival.

"We are going home Rosie." Lain whispered to her as her eyes fluttered, "You couldn't wait to join the adventure, could you?"

He sang his father's song to her and soon she was fast asleep. He had made a bed of clothing and bags all nice and soft for her and laid her down in it.

"Hopefully she won't wake up." Cornflower whispered.

"If she does we will wake Tauriel and hurry away." Said Lain.

Days later the Misty Mountains were behind them. Cornflower kept Rosie very quiet and happy. Rosie would only whimper when she was upset and never cry. The only time they had heard her cry the entire time was when she first came into the world.

They did not find rest at Beorn's. Orcs were close and even though they would be safe, Tauriel said it was best to hurry to Mirkwood where they could truly remember the meaning of sleep.

One night however, Tauriel went back near Beorn's to ask for one pony to carry a mother and child. She explained and he was happy to help her, especially since she thought her brother dead for years and was now reunited with him.

Tauriel rode the pony back to the campgrounds, and at dawn, Lain helped Cornflower onto the pony and then he put a couple of bags on its back behind Cornflower. Tauriel-who had been holding Rosie Posy-handed the child to Cornflower and she took the reins of the horse and they made their way towards Mirkwood.

"When we reach the boarders, we have to send the pony back to Beorn." Tauriel informed them.

Finally, the forest was in sight! Tauriel hurried the others, only to have an orc's arrow pierce her arm.

"Tauriel!" gasped Lain.

"Run!" Tauriel threw the reins to Cornflower and she galloped towards the forest. Then she turned to Lain, "Go, protect her and child, and make sure they get through the forest. Do not leave the path for any reason!"

"What will you do?" asked Lain.

She drew an arrow and put it in her bow, "Give you a head start."  
"I will not leave you to fight alone!" Lain snapped.

"Last time I protected Cornflower while you almost got yourself killed, now it is my turn. I cannot let you have all the fun." She smirked, "Go."

He had this annoyed look on his face, but he ran after Cornflower-who was at the boarders of Mirkwood.

He watched as she was out-numbered. Orcs surrounded her.

"I must help her." I drew his sword and held his father's shield.

"And risk getting yourself killed?" Cornflower sounded scared.

"I'll take that risk for my sister!" Lain replied.

"Your people need you!" Cornflower reminded him.

"There must be something I can do to help her." Said Lain pacing a bit.

Cornflower's eyes lit up and she started digging through one of the bags, then she

pulled out Tauriel's horn.

"Call the Elves." She said handing him the horn.

"A Dwarf needing the Elves help twice. How will that look?" he joked.

He blew hard, the sound carried throughout the forest. He saw some orcs trying to pin the sound and Tauriel cutting off their heads as they did.

Within minutes the trees were filled with Elves. One Elf had his arrow pointed at Lain's head. Lain had his sword up to defend Cornflower and Rosie.

"Where did you get that horn, Dwarf filth?!" he snapped.

"I'm not looking for a fight." Lain replied.

"Your sword says otherwise." The Elf replied.

"If you have not noticed, I have a wife and newborn to protect." Lain moved a little so he could see.

"If you do not wish to fight, lay down your sword." The Elf commanded.

Lain dropped the sword like it meant nothing to him. The Elf looked impressed for a moment, but his aim was still locked on his head.

"As I said, where did you get that horn?" the Elf asked.

"My sister, she is outnumbered and injured." Lain replied. He heard a gasp and looked over, Tauriel was on the ground, "Tauriel!"

He picked up his sword and ran past the Elf and out of the woods to her, no number of orcs could stop him, he slayed anyone of them who got close to him. As one orc held up his sword to stab her, Lain ran his sword through its side and kicked it away. He gave Tauriel his hand and helped her up.

"Cornflower-"

"The elves came. Are you sure we can trust them?" Lain asked beheading another orc.

"If you were not sure why did you leave her with them?" Tauriel asked in the way an older sister would.

"You are my sister and I trust you. I thought if I left her with them maybe they'd think that I trusted them enough to not kill her." He replied.

"Foolish more like, but this is how it is to be a king." Said Tauriel stabbing another orc, "Shy away from a fight to protect the ones you love, or fight and hope nothing happens to them."

"If only father was here to help me." Lain muttered.

"Some kings have to learn these things on their own." Tauriel replied.

Together they fought the orcs and soon enough the Elves joined and began to wipe them out or make others run.

Tauriel spun around, one orc tried to put a knife in her back and then jumped onto his back and put two arrows through his head. As he fell she jumped off and rolled to the next orc, who seemed to put up more of a fight. His sword cut her cheek pretty bad. He knocked her to the ground and she used her knifes to keep his sword from piercing her chest. She used what strength she had to try to live, but her strength soon began to fail.

Suddenly, the tip of a sword appeared from the orcs chest and he stopped. Tauriel jumped up and beheaded him. When the orc fell, Legolas was behind it.

"Legolas." Tauriel breathed.

He did not smile, his expression was cold and hard, like King Thranduil's.

"You seem to have a thing for letting Dwarves go through our lands." He replied.

"He is my brother." Tauriel replied hard, "I am helping him and his family get to Erebor."

"I thought you said your brother was dead." Said Legolas.

"He was taken by orcs, I thought for sure he was. Have you ever known anyone to be taken by orcs and survive?" she asked him.

"No." he replied noticing the cut on her cheek, "That dwarf made your injury seem larger than a mere scrap."

"Lain, his name is Lain." Tauriel replied, "And I believe he was talking about this."

She showed him her right arm, which was still bleeding badly. Legolas's eyes were wide-finally he showed some expression other than "I'm prettier than you" in a Thranduil way, he ripped the cloak he was wearing and wrapped it around her arm.

"My Lord Legolas," said Ylime, the first among Mirkwood born female Elves to join the soldiers, "What do we do with the Halfling and the Dwarf?"

"Cornflower and Lain." Tauriel spat.

"We bring them before the king, he will decide. Bonds are not needed." He replied.

They went back into the woods and Tauriel walked with Cornflower behind Lain. The elves carried the stretch that Cornflower and Rosie were in.

"Are you alright?" asked Cornflower, "You look sort of pale-not in an Elf way."

"I am fine. It is not me you should be worrying about. You have yourself and the child." Tauriel said smiling.

"Yes, but at the moment we're both fine." Said Cornflower smiling, "Here, why don't you hold her."

"I shouldn't." said Tauriel, but Cornflower had already given her Rosie.

Rosie's hands were in fist and she stared at Tauriel with her pale blue eyes. She had a little bit of curly golden hair. Tauriel smiled.

"I never knew you to be so good with children." Said Legolas walking next to her.

"What made you think I wasn't?" she asked not looking away from the child.

"You've never shown any interest." He replied.

"Maybe I don't help the nurse Elves with caring for the children, but that doesn't mean I resent children." Tauriel replied handing Rosie back to Cornflower.

"You've never talk about having any." Legolas said walking ahead a bit.

Tauriel followed him, "Because fighting and combat has always been my life. Being a mother has never been in the cards for me. Do I look like the motherly type?"

"You did just now." Legolas replied.

"Before then I mean."

"No. But you have seemed like the type who would fall in love." Legolas replied as he went ahead of her.

She knew he was still sore about Kili. She had to tell him the truth.

"Legolas…"

She stopped short. He was out of breath and felt warm and dizzy. Her head started to throb.

"Yes?" sad Legolas turning around.

"Athelas." She muttered before falling to the ground.


	36. Chapter 36

**_Hopefully these chapters make up for the hiatus._**

Chapter thirty-six.

"Tauriel!" Lain gasped as the blonde Elf-Legolas-caught Tauriel before she hit the ground, "Did she lose too much blood?"

"Worse, poisoned." Legolas replied as Tauriel went pale, "For Dwarves and Men they are in a lot of pain for a while, but for Elves; we lose consciousness to try and survive until we get help. She needs Athelas."

"Kingsfoil, I know that plant." Said Cornflower handing Rosie to Lain, "Do you mind letting me down?

Legolas looked at one of the Elves, "Go with her so she does not get lost."

The Elf nodded and then the elves carrying Cornflower put down the stretch and was helped up slowly before leaving.

Lain held Rosie, he could barely look at Tauriel. Her face was so lifeless it was hard to believe it was his sister. He could now see what she meant when she said she wanted his and Lyra's last memory of their mother to be one where she was happy and full of life.

"The dwarf she was fond of was hit with an arrow dipped in the same poison. It was in the knee so it took longer to take effect, but in the arm…it is amazing she made it this long." Said Legolas then turning to the other Elves, "Ylime, Enro, and Glaryio. Stay here with the Dwarf and wait for the Hobbit and Rondlion. The rest of you go back, tell the king we shall return shortly."

The Elves hurried off right away. Soon they were out of sight and Legolas lifted Tauriel as if she was weightless.

"And what of you, my Lord?" asked the She-Elf Ylime.

He whistled and soon a white horse came running over. "I shall ride on Gael with Tauriel." He replied as he set Tauriel on and got on behind her.

"Legolas…." Moaned Tauriel waking up slightly, "I am sorry…for the pain I may have caused you."

"Oh no." Legolas breathed as she shut her eyes.

"What is wrong?" asked Lain fearful.

"If an Elf awakens to give one final message…they are fading." Legolas said before riding like the wind.

Lain felt like a prisoner, being left alone with three Elves, he wished to be with his sister. Even though Tauriel only spoke well of Legolas he did not trust him. There was just something about him Lain didn't like.

"Found some!" said Cornflower hurrying back waving Kingsfoil in the air. Then she noticed how Tauriel and the others were gone, "Where are they?"

"Tauriel got worse, she needed the Healer's medicine." Said Ylime.

"In the shortest time I was gone, she got worse?" asked Cornflower, "I miss out on so much."

Lain smiled and handed Rosie back to her. Cornflower walked ahead with Ylime and Enro.

"I have heard hobbits prefer the comforts of home and have no wish for adventures." Said Rondlion, "But your wife has changed my opinion. She seems to thirst for adventure."

"She always has, she insisted we go on this journey even when she was so close to her time." Lain replied.

"Hobbits are indeed interesting creatures." Said Glaryio, "How is it you came across her?"

"I fell out of a tree." Lain replied with a smile.


End file.
